The pace of clashes has escalated for the second consecutive day in Sudan, particularly around the headquarters of the Sudanese Armed Forces and in "Omdurman," Darfur, and various regions of the country, according to the army and the Rapid Support Forces. The civilian death toll has risen to 56, with nearly 600 injured, in addition to dozens of military casualties. There are ongoing exchanges of attacks between the two parties in Khartoum, interspersed with the Sudanese army's announcement of its agreement to open safe corridors for urgent humanitarian cases for three hours starting at 4 PM local time. While the army has declared the Rapid Support Forces as a terrorist group, statements from the army confirm its control over the ground forces tower and several locations in Port Sudan, Kassala, Qadirif, Damazin, Kosti, and Kadugli. However, the scene remains unclear due to power outages and difficulties for journalists to observe the reality on the ground after their locations were bombed, coupled with the interruption of broadcasts from the Sudanese state television. The Rapid Support Forces claim control over areas south of Khartoum, the Darfur region, and Merowe airport. The Sudanese army had announced its firm control over Merowe airport but is proceeding cautiously out of concern for the safety of approximately 100 Egyptian and Sudanese prisoners.
Casualties and Injuries
The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors has called on both sides of the armed conflict in the country to open a safe corridor to evacuate patients trapped at the Salma dialysis center, as well as young schoolchildren from the Comboni schools, since Saturday morning, close to the headquarters of the army. They reported fatalities at Khartoum airport, in Omdurman, and also in the cities of Nyala, El-Obeid, and El-Fasher, west of Khartoum, noting "the increase in the number of injuries amidst a shortage of medical personnel and exhaustion of medical teams working in hospitals." They also urged medical staff to head to "Bashair Hospital south of Khartoum and East Nile Hospital east of Khartoum." Dr. Mohammed Al-Fahl confirmed that the number of injured is catastrophic, with many on the waiting list, while medical teams are struggling to evacuate the wounded.
UN Mission
The World Food Program temporarily suspended all its operations in Sudan following the killing of three of its staff. The United Nations condemned the killing of three of its staff members during clashes in Sudan on Saturday, stating that they lost their lives while performing their duties. The head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Support Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), Volker Perthes, announced on Sunday that the three were reportedly killed in clashes that erupted in Kabkabiya, North Darfur. Perthes, who is also the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Sudan, expressed "great concern over reports that projectiles struck UN facilities and other humanitarian buildings, along with reports of looting of UN buildings and other humanitarian facilities at several locations in Darfur."
Communications
Two officials from the telecommunications company MTN announced that the company has halted internet services in the country based on directives from the government telecommunications authority. However, another official clarified that the authorities ordered the company to restore internet services. After the Rapid Support Forces denied the killing of two of its leaders, there was information suggesting that Sudanese intelligence had liberated Major General Al-Sadiq Said and Colonel Othman Awadallah, who were detained by the Rapid Support Forces.
Press Syndicate
The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate issued a call to the warring parties in the capital Khartoum not to target a building containing many media offices. The "Kuwaiti building," which is located near the presidential palace and several strategic sites, hosts numerous offices for foreign correspondents.
Sudanese Army
The spokesman for the Sudanese army, Nabil Abdullah, announced control over the largest base of the Rapid Support Forces in the Karari area and the seizure of all equipment there, in addition to the Rapid Support Forces bases in Port Sudan, Kassala, Qadirif, Damazin, Kosti, and Kadugli. He denied claims by the Rapid Support Forces regarding the siege of the general command in Khartoum, pointing out that "clashes are still ongoing in some locations, but the situation is leaning towards stabilization."
Air Strikes
The Sudanese army launched air strikes on a base of the semi-military Rapid Support Forces near the capital in an attempt to reassert its control over the country on Sunday, with clashes resulting in at least 25 fatalities and threatening efforts to transition to civilian rule. Witnesses reported that late Saturday evening, the army bombed a camp belonging to the Rapid Support Forces in Omdurman, near the capital Khartoum. Witnesses also heard gunfire in Port Sudan, a city on the Red Sea, from which no previous fighting reports had surfaced.
Rapid Support Forces
For its part, the Rapid Support Forces announced control over the naval forces tower at the general command. They reported seizing the presidential palace, the residence of the army commander, and airports in Khartoum and the city of Merowe in the north, as well as in El-Fasher and West Darfur state. The army, however, denied these assertions.
Air Forces
The Sudanese Air Force called on citizens late Saturday to stay at home as it would conduct a complete survey of the locations of the Rapid Support Forces, and Khartoum state declared a holiday on Sunday, closing schools, banks, and government offices. A Reuters journalist noted the presence of artillery and armored vehicles deployed in the streets and heard the sound of heavy weaponry near the army and Rapid Support Forces headquarters.
Army Commander
Army Commander Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan told Al-Jazeera that if they listen to reason, they will return their forces that went to Khartoum; however, if the situation persists, "we will have to" deploy forces inside Khartoum "from different areas."
Hemedti and Burhan
For his part, the Rapid Support Forces announced that its troops in Port Sudan were attacked by foreign aircraft and warned of the consequences of any foreign intervention. They stated on their Facebook page, "No negotiation or dialogue before dismantling and disbanding the rebel militia of Hemedti," referring to the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, known as Hemedti. The army urged soldiers assigned to the Rapid Support Forces to report to nearby army units, which may lead to depleting the ranks of the Rapid Support Forces if they comply with the order. Hemedti described Burhan as a "criminal and a liar." The army competes with the Rapid Support Forces, which analysts estimate to number about 100,000 soldiers, for power while political factions negotiate the formation of a transitional government since a military coup in 2021.
Hemedti stated in an interview with Al-Jazeera that they know where Burhan is hiding, and they will reach him and deliver him to justice or he will die. A prolonged confrontation between the two sides could lead Sudan to a widespread conflict at a time when it is already suffering from an economic collapse and tribal violence, and it could also hinder efforts toward holding elections.
Political Agreement at Risk
The clashes follow rising tensions between the army and the Rapid Support Forces over the integration of those semi-military forces into the army. The dispute has delayed the signing of an agreement that is supported by international parties with political forces regarding the transition to democracy. Civilian forces that signed a draft of that agreement in December called on both parties on Saturday to "immediately stop hostilities and spare the country the scourge of sliding into total collapse." They stated in a statement, "This moment is pivotal in the history of our country... This is a war in which no one will win, and we will lose our country forever." The Rapid Support Forces accused the army of attempting a coup and executing a conspiracy planned by supporters of former President Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted from power in 2019. The 2021 coup overthrew the civilian prime minister.
The Rapid Support Forces released a video on Saturday, claiming it showed Egyptian forces "surrendering" to them in the city of Merowe in northern Sudan. The Egyptian army stated that its forces are present in Sudan for training exercises with Sudanese soldiers. Hemedti stated to Sky News Arabia that the Egyptian soldiers are safe and that the Rapid Support Forces will cooperate with Cairo regarding their return. The video showed several men in military attire sitting on the ground and speaking with Rapid Support Forces members in the Egyptian dialect. Reports from intelligence sources, whose accuracy could not be verified, indicated that the Rapid Support Forces seized several fighter jets belonging to the Egyptian Air Force and detained their pilots along with Sudanese military weapons and vehicles.
