War Continues in Khartoum Streets Despite Eid Truce

Sudanese army troops head into the capital Khartoum from central Sudan on April 21, 2023

April 22, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – Despite the announcement of a three-day truce for Eid al-Fitr, fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensified in Khartoum on Saturday morning.

On Friday, the army deployed ground troops to the capital in preparation for a potential street war against support forces who were stationed in government facilities after losing their military bases.

Both warring parties announced a three-day truce on Friday, but no agreement was reached on how to monitor its implementation.

On Saturday morning, explosions and clashes were reported in the areas surrounding the General Command of the army and the presidential palace in Khartoum. The fighting then spread to the neighbourhoods of Hillat Hamad, Khojaly, and Arkaweet, after previously being limited to the heart of the capital.

According to reports from eyewitnesses, there was continued indiscriminate artillery shelling in the neighbourhoods of Ombada and Karari on Saturday morning. In Ombada Mansoura, six people were killed due to shelling from the Corps of Engineers.

Moreover, warplanes were spotted flying over the Sudanese capital on the eighth day of armed clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.

It becomes evident that the announced truce did not accomplish the intended goals as civilians are fearful of leaving their homes, services remain suspended, and shops are closed. Furthermore, hospitals are closed or out of service due to power cuts and a shortage of medical supplies.

The conflict has also spilt over onto the roads linking Khartoum with other states.

On Friday, clashes occurred on the Western Road connecting Darfur and North Kordofan to the capital, where the army intercepted RSF fighters on their way to the capital. Additional clashes were reported on the Khartoum-Madani Road, in an effort to stop Sudanese army troops coming from eastern and central Sudan.

It is worth noting that after the collapse of the Al-Bashir regime in April 2019, al-Burhan tasked the RSF with protecting of strategic areas of Khartoum to prevent any coup attempt against him. The paramilitary forces remained there until the outbreak of war on April 15.

Al-Huda Prison Incident The Sudanese army declared on Friday evening that the RSF fighters had attacked Omdurman prison, taking 28 prisoners with them, while the remaining prisoners managed to escape.

Although the paramilitary forces denied involvement in the attack, the family of a young man detained for allegedly killing a police officer during the protests against the coup confirmed that their son had been released from prison, and they have lost contact with him.

Among the detainees in Omdurman prison were dozens of individuals arrested for their involvement in tribal conflicts in Darfur.

In a statement released on Friday evening, the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors reported that several areas in Khartoum had been subjected to shelling and clashes between the army forces and the militiamen, resulting in significant damage to buildings, facilities, and public property.

(ST)