Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan issued a decree to end the transfer and assignment of all military officers working with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and to report them immediately to the nearest military units in Khartoum and across Sudanese states. According to the Sudanese Doctors' Union, more than 25 people have been killed and around 200 others injured in clashes nationwide today, stating: "We cannot confirm that all of them are civilians." They urged all doctors to respond to calls from the Preparatory Committee of the Doctors’ Union to cover hospital emergencies close to their residences. The World Food Programme confirmed the deaths of three of its staff and injuries to two others from RSF gunfire in an attack in Kabkabiya, western Sudan. The Arab League noted that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are calling for an urgent meeting tomorrow at the ambassadorial level to discuss the situation in Sudan.
On his part, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General stated that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate end to the violence in Sudan. He noted that Guterres had spoken with Sudanese Armed Forces Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, RSF Leader Lt. General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and African Union Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat, urging an immediate stop to the violence and a return to dialogue. He offered his good offices, in close coordination with ongoing efforts, to restore security and conclude the ongoing political process.
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry revealed that the army regained control of Khartoum Airport after an RSF attack led to damage to a Saudi Airlines aircraft and another Sudanese one. Video footage documented the massive destruction in the arrival halls of Khartoum International Airport following clashes between the army and militants in the airport, severely affecting several civilian aircraft. The Sudanese Air Force requested citizens to stay at home while conducting a complete aerial survey of RSF locations. The RSF intelligence chief, Major General Al-Khayr Abu Meridat, announced his joining the armed forces and handing over the intelligence department.
The Egyptian military spokesperson, Colonel Gharib Abdel Hafiz, indicated that the army is closely monitoring the situation in Sudan and coordinating with the relevant Sudanese authorities to ensure the security of Egyptian forces. The statement said, "The Egyptian Armed Forces are closely monitoring the ongoing events within Sudanese territory, and in the context of the presence of joint Egyptian forces conducting training with their Sudanese counterparts, coordination is ongoing with the relevant Sudanese authorities to ensure the security of the Egyptian forces."
RSF leader Hamidti stated that "Egyptian soldiers at the Merowe base are safe and the RSF is ready to cooperate with Egypt to facilitate their return." The RSF had published a video showing a battalion of the army and Egyptian forces surrendering in Merowe. The Armed Forces announced, "No negotiation or dialogue before dismantling Hamidti's forces," denying that the RSF had control over the Engineering Corps' weaponry.
Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the USA, in a phone call, called for a halt to military escalation and a return to the framework political agreement. France expressed "deep concern" over the outbreak of clashes in Sudan, urging the warring military factions in Khartoum to "do everything possible to stop the violence."
The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmad Aboul Gheit, expressed in a statement today his "shock and condemnation" of the recourse to arms and fighting among "brothers" in this manner during the holy month of Ramadan, emphasizing the urgent need to halt escalation and stop the bloodshed, pointing to the General Secretariat’s readiness to intervene with conflicting parties to achieve this.
The RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces exchanged gunfire in the capital Khartoum and other parts of the country today, appearing to be a struggle for power.
