Witnesses and an official report that a recent Sudanese army air strike on the capital resulted in the deaths of at least 22 people, with numerous others sustaining injuries.
Among the victims were women and children, as per accounts from eyewitnesses.
The airstrike targeted the Dar es Salaam district in Omdurman, situated on the opposite side of the Nile from the capital, Khartoum.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Saturday. Since April, the army and a paramilitary force have been engaged in a power struggle for control over the capital.
The conflict originated from a disagreement between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the army, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), regarding the country’s future direction.
A health official from Khartoum state, quoted by Reuters, confirmed that the airstrike resulted in the deaths of at least 22 people.
However, the RSF claimed that the death toll was 31, emphasizing that the strike caused significant damage to residential properties.
The situation in Sudan remains volatile and the loss of civilian lives is deeply tragic.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) currently holds control over significant parts of Khartoum, as well as its neighboring cities of Omdurman and Bahri. In response, the army has been conducting frequent artillery and air attacks in an attempt to dislodge the paramilitary fighters. However, it is believed that the air strike on Saturday may have resulted in one of the highest death tolls from a single attack.
The ongoing conflict, spanning twelve weeks, has left the civilian population in the capital in a state of fear and distress. Shops and markets remain closed, and the majority of medical facilities have ceased operations. The clashes have extended beyond the city, reaching the western Darfur region where ethnic violence has erupted.
Throughout the country, hundreds of people have lost their lives, and nearly three million individuals have been displaced from their homes. While some temporary ceasefires have been attempted, they have been short-lived.
The East African regional bloc, Igad, is making efforts to revive peace negotiations at a summit scheduled for Monday in Ethiopia. However, a spokesperson for General Burhan stated that he would not attend the meeting.
The situation in Sudan remains deeply concerning, with widespread violence and displacement impacting the lives of the civilian population.