Sudan conflict: Air strikes hit Khartoum despite truce

 

Air strikes pounded Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, despite a cease-fire, prompting more civilians to flee the country. The Sudanese army said it was attacking the Sudanese capital to flush out the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary forces of Sudan.

The fighting continued in the Sudanese capital even after the extension of the truce by another three days. Army commander Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF chief Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, started fighting on April 15, vying for power.

The fighting has already killed over 500 people. However, experts believe that the number of casualties could be much higher. The conflict also injured thousands of people, forced thousands of people to flee and trapped millions of people in the Sudanese capital.

The United States, the United Kingdom and the United Nations urged the two rivals to agree to a humanitarian truce. The two groups agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire after intensive diplomatic efforts by neighbouring countries, the US, the UK and the UN. The Sudanese army and the paramilitary group also announced the extension of the existing ceasefire for a further 72 hours. However, it did not stop fighting between the two groups.

On Sunday, the Sudanese army said it had conducted operations against the paramilitary group in the north of the city centre. Airstrikes and artillery rocked the Sudanese capital on Saturday.

According to reports, a cloud of dark smoke rose over Khartoum on Saturday as the two groups continued fighting. Subsequently, Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, said it was sending an envoy to Sudan amid the "unprecedented" situation in the country.

Stephane Dujarric, the Spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, raised concern over the situation in Sudan. Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the United Nations, immediately went to Sudan to help people amid the conflict.