FIGHTING RAGES IN CENTRAL KHARTOUM ON FIFTH DAY OF CLASHES

Wed 19 Apr 2023:

Fighting rages in Sudan hours after an internationally brokered truce was supposed to have come into effect at 6pm (16:00 GMT) on Tuesday.

Forces loyal to duelling generals battled for key locations in the capital, Khartoum, and accused each other of violating the ceasefire.

Loud gunfire reverberated on Wednesday morning in the background of live feeds by multiple television news channels in the capital region.

The battles have continued near the army’s headquarters, the presidential palace and Khartoum airport.

The Sudanese army issued a statement on Wednesday saying that the army had been attacked by the RSF at at its general command headquarters.

The statement added that the army repelled the attack and was inflicting “heavy losses” on the enemy.

Loud gunfire has reverberated in the background of live feeds by multiple television news channels in the Khartoum capital region, despite the agreed onset of the ceasefire on Tuesday.

The regular army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have issued statements accusing each other of failing to respect the ceasefire.

The army’s high command said it would continue operations to secure the capital and other regions.

Death toll reaches 270 in Sudan clashes

At least 270 people have been killed since clashes between the army and Rapid Support Forces broke out, the World Health Organization said, citing Sudan’s health ministry.

Another 2,600 people have also been injured, it added.

Sudanese army says in full control of Merowe Airport

Reporting from Merowe Airport, Al Jazeera’s Osama Sid Ahmed said the northern city Merowe was trying “catch its breath and resume daily life” after fierce clashes tore through the city since Saturday.

“Some shops have reopened their doors, and the markets are partially back in business,” said Ahmed.

“People are out and about in the city in an almost normal manner, despite the presence of military vehicles roaming the streets,” he added.

Ahmed said that the army had regained full control over the airport.

“The army said that air strikes it used on the airport were key in driving out RSF forces, forcing them to retreat southward towards al-Multaqa, which lies 100km away,” he said.

The RSF claims its still maintains a presence in Merowe.

Doctors’ union says 30 killed since ‘ceasefire’

The Sudan Doctors’ Union has said that at least 30 people have been killed since an agreed ceasefire was supposed to take effect at 6pm (16:00 GMT) on Tuesday.

It added that at least 175 civilians have been killed and more than 1,041 others injured since the confrontations started on Saturday.

Sudanese health ministry warns of ‘total collapse’ as 16 hospitals go out of service

The Sudanese health ministry has raised the alarm about the deteriorating healthcare situation in the country since clashes with the Rapid Support Forces broke out on Saturday.

In a statement on Twitter, the ministry said that public health sector in the capital, Khartoum, was verging on “total collapse” as 16 hospitals were now completely out of service.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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