West nations UK and USA have called for a ceasefire in Sudan as the death toll in the cross-firing between rival military factions rose to 100 leaving 35 others injured. There has been official word on the number of soldiers killed from both sides in the clashes.
Airstrikes and shelling intensified in parts of Khartoum and the adjoining city of Omdurman. A sustained firing was heard near the military headquarters, with white smoke emanating from the area. Residents ran for shelters and also reported looting amidst power cuts caused due to the bombarding.
Visuals from the city purported to show RSF barracks in Omdurman. The bodies of men in camouflage uniforms were sprawled on beds and the floor of medical wards and in a sandy outdoor area. The doctors’ group said a stray shell struck a hospital south of Khartoum on Monday morning, without causing causalities.
Bitter fighting ensued on Saturday after weeks of power struggles between Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The violence has triggered an international outcry with appeals for an immediate ceasefire and dialogue.
The two generals are former allies who jointly orchestrated an October 2021 military coup that derailed Sudan’s short-lived transition to democracy. The duo have pressed that they would not negotiate a truce, instead route to verbal attacks demanding each other surrender.