Continuing battles in Sudan leave dozens dead

---

A number of civilians and military troops were killed in Khartoum, South Darfur, and North Kordofan on Sunday. In Nyala, an unknown number of youths were liquidated, reportedly on ethnic grounds.

Several parts of the three cities of Khartoum state witnessed airstrikes by the Sudanese Air Force and an exchange of artillery shelling between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) throughout Sunday, until late at night. More than 50 people, including children, reportedly died as a result of the fighting.

The editor-in-chief of the El Dawahi online news outlet, Saleh Abdallah, reported that dozens of people were killed and wounded during the shelling of the Dar El Salaam El Amiriya neighbourhood in western Omdurman. Among the dead are nine members of one family.

Dar El Salaam also witnessed aerial bombardments this weekend, killing at least 37. The Sudanese army denied any responsibility.

A statement by the Emergency Lawyers reported 22 deaths and dozens of injuries due to aerial bombardments on neighbourhoods in the densely populated, poor Ombadda locality in Omdurman.

At least 15 people were killed in El Sha’abiya and in East Nile. In Khartoum North (Khartoum Bahri). Among the victims in El Sha’abiya, were five members of one family, the resistance committees of the neighbourhood reported.

Many others were wounded during the airstrikes on the mosque and the El Zahra Islamic complex in the southern part of El Sha’abiya on Sunday evening, the resistance committees said in a statement on social media.

Youth committees in El Ushra and other neighbourhoods in southern Khartoum reported at least 12 fatalities due to airstrikes and artillery shelling.

In south-west Khartoum, army forces carried out an attack on Rapid Support Forces (RSF) troops entrenched near the Nabatiya station and the Abu Adam police station in El Kalaklat, according to eyewitnesses.

The military operation left an unknown number of RSF soldiers dead and wounded, in addition to the destruction of three civilian vehicles driven by the RSF soldiers.

‘Liquidated’

In the South Darfur capital of Nyala, three civilians were killed, and others were wounded by stray bullets during an exchange of gunfire between the SAF and RSF in the Karari neighbourhood on Friday and Saturday.

A source told Radio Dabanga from the city that “a number of young people have been arbitrarily liquidated, whether at the market, on the street, or at the SAF and RSF inspection gates”.

He said that the conflict between the army and the RSF is leading to sharp tribal divisions. “People are classified according to their supposed affiliation, those belonging to the [Arab] tribes of the RSF are called the reds, those supporting the SAF are the [African] blacks.”

Another source reported that “members of both warring parties rob people of their telephones and money during so-called security inspections, and sexually harass women and girls in the city”.

A group of RSF soldiers and affiliated gunmen raided and looted the buildings of the Savanna group, east of the Sudanese-Turkish Hospital, and the military police training centre in Karari neighbourhood on Friday evening and Saturday morning.

“The shooting and plundering continue in the southern parts of Nyala, which led to the early closure of shops in markets and other neighbourhoods,” the source added.

Fleeing to ‘dangerous El Obeid’

In North Kordofan, an RSF force riding in 30 vehicles attacked Bara, about 60 kilometres north of the state capital El Obeid, on Monday.

“Shooting into the air, they assaulted the residents and robbed them of their property,” teacher Mahmoud Salem told Radio Dabanga. “RSF troops also raided the village of Farajallah adjacent to the oil refinery.”

The raids, as well as earlier RSF attacks on Bara, led to the displacement of a large number of people, who fled to the state capital El Obeid.

Mahmoud attributed the attack on Monday to the losses suffered by the RSF in its battles with the army west of Bara and the confrontations between residents of the town and RSF soldiers at the end of June.

Aid convoy plundered

El Obeid witnessed cautious calm on Monday, following fierce fighting between the SAF and RSF in the past days.

Activist Ali Ibrahim told Radio Dabanga that only sporadic gunfire was heard on Monday morning.

The battles have caused great damage, especially to the power provision. “The western neighbourhoods in particular are affected by the damage of the electricity lines,” he said.

Ibrahim further reported a “rapid deterioration of the living situation” in El Obeid. “The prices of basic consumer goods have become exorbitant, as flour but also soap almost disappeared.”

Another source reported an attack on a humanitarian aid convoy for the many displaced who sought refuge in the city.

“An RSF force attacked the relief vehicles loaded with more than 1,770 cartons near the airport of El Obeid and seized about 70 per cent of the load,” he said. “The contents are now being sold at the markets.”