Sudan: Thousands flee Sudanese capital as violence rages on

A wave of violence has erupted in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, causing thousands of residents to flee the city. Witnesses have reported seeing bodies in the streets, while embassies have confirmed that over 270 civilians have been killed in battles between the army and paramilitaries. The violence began on Saturday between the forces of two generals who seized power in a 2021 coup: army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The violence followed a bitter dispute over the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army, which is a key condition for a final deal aimed at restoring Sudan’s democratic transition.

The RSF paramilitaries have declared a “complete ceasefire” for 24 hours, along with the army. However, this proposed humanitarian ceasefire failed to take hold for the second day in a row. Witnesses have reported hearing gunfire in Khartoum even after the appointed ceasefire time on Wednesday.

The battles have caused damage to residential and commercial buildings, leaving civilians sheltering in their homes with dwindling food supplies, power outages, and a lack of running water. Hospitals have been shelled, and many of Khartoum’s main hospitals are “out of service”. There are severe shortages in remaining facilities, according to the official doctors’ union.

Many civilians are leaving Khartoum by car or on foot. The stench of dead bodies littering the streets fills the air. Both the army and paramilitaries have been accused of unlawfully evicting people from their homes. The US embassy has written a statement, signed by 14 other diplomatic missions in Sudan, calling for both sides to refrain from endangering Sudanese people, diplomats, and humanitarian aid workers.

The violence has led to foreign diplomats being attacked, and reports of sexual violence against aid workers. The situation has caused several countries to begin evacuating their citizens, including Japan and Germany. The US embassy has started gathering personal details of citizens but has not yet coordinated an evacuation due to the uncertain security situation in Khartoum and the closure of the airport.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced that he will meet with the heads of the African Union, the Arab League, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development on Thursday. Sudan specialists warn that neither side seems to be winning at the moment, and things could get worse before the two generals come to the negotiating table.