Khartoum (AFP) In a tragic incident amid the ongoing conflict in Sudan, an airstrike hit the capital Khartoum, killing at least 17 people, including five children, according to health officials. Clashes between rival generals vying for control of the country have escalated, leading to intensified fighting in urban areas.
The recent attack in Khartoum is one of the deadliest in clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group. Details about the strike remain unclear, with no immediate comment from either side of the dispute. It was not known whether the attack was carried out by warplanes or by drones. Both the Army and the RSF have been involved in targeting each other’s forces using aircraft and drones.
The conflict erupted in mid-April, after months of escalating tensions between military leaders and the RSF. The Yarmouk neighborhood in southern Khartoum, where the strike took place, has been the center of clashes in recent weeks. The area is home to a military base controlled by the army, and the health ministry reported at least 25 houses destroyed in the attack.
The dead included five children as well as women and elderly people whose exact number is still unknown. Several injured have been admitted to the hospital. The Emergency Room, a local group involved in humanitarian aid management, reported 11 injuries and shared photos of destroyed homes and people searching through the rubble. Reports also suggest incidents of looting and sexual violence, particularly in Khartoum and the West Darfur region, attributed to the RSF.
The conflict has led to massive displacement, with more than 2.2 million people forced to flee their homes within Sudan or seek safety in neighboring countries. Diplomatic missions, including the residences of the US Embassy in Khartoum, were stormed and looted by gunmen allegedly wearing RSF uniforms. The situation has worsened in the Darfur region, particularly in the city of Jenina, where tens of thousands of residents have fled to Chad to escape attacks by the RSF and allied Arab militias.
The United Nations has expressed deep concern over the worsening situation and called for international intervention to prevent further violence. The international community is urged to address the crisis to avert a humanitarian catastrophe and prevent a repeat of the genocidal war that plagued Darfur in the early 2000s. The world must not allow history to repeat itself in Darfur, as the region teeters on the brink of another devastating cycle of violence.
