Sudan Army accuses RSF of ‘hiding among civilians’ in Khartoum

The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) accuse the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who they refer to as ‘the rebel militia’, of targeting residential areas in the Sudan capital Khartoum. The army also claims that the RSF are wearing civilian clothes and using stolen civilian vehicles to hide within residential neighbourhoods.

As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, heavy renewed fighting erupted between units of the warring Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in various points in and around the Sudan capital Khartoum on Sunday evening, just after a 24-hour humanitarian ceasefire lapsed.

Statements by the spokesperson for the General Command of the SAF assert that “the rebel militia have resorted to targeting residential areas in El Azhari and El Salama [in southern Khartoum] with artillery and rocket shelling, launching a number of mortars and 122mm rockets on Block 10 in El Azhari. The first fell in a square and did not result in losses. The second fell in a residential home leading to the death of the owner and the injury of three children. A third missile fell on an inhabited home and resulted in damages to parts of it.

The SAF say that the RSF launched strikes targeting blocks 11, 13, 14 and 15 in El Azhari, at the same time that an army aircraft patrolled the area. Thes was, the SAF claim, “to delude the residents of the area that the army was carrying out the strikes.” The spokesperson added: “The rebels renewed their shelling this morning in the same manner.”

In the statement, the SAF condemns what it terms “this criminal behaviour that is the norm for the rebel militia,” and urges the public to take caution.

Combing operations

A separate SAF statement says that on Sunday, the SAF carried out combing operations for pockets of the rebels in El Remeila and Abu Hamama near El Shajara in western Khartoum, where the RSF reportedly took control over the Yarmouk military plant last week, and the Halfaya bridge, Bahri and Sharg El NIl (East Nile) in Khartoum North.

The SAF assert that the RSF sustained “dozens” of fatal losses, the destruction of military equipment, and claim to have captured “a number of rebels and mercenaries who tried to escape after leaving the battlegrounds”.

The army further alleges that “the rebels [RSF] now are wearing civilian clothes, use stolen civilian vehicles in all their movements, and hide in the homes of civilians”.

The statement acknowledges that the SAF has suffered a number of fatalities and injured, but does not provide any details.

As Radio Dabanga reported earlier today, SAF Brig Gen Abdelrahman El Tayeb was killed during an upsurge of the fighting yesterday evening. His family and friends have confirmed his death “fighting mercenaries and rebel militias“. As yet unconfirmed initial reports suggest that Gen Abdelrahman fell during the battle for the Halfaya Bridge.

The RSF had not as yet reacted to these specific reports at time of posting.