Following the al-Assad’s method, the Rapid Support Forces are bombing civilian areas with explosive barrels
The Sudanese Air Force has targeted residential neighborhoods in several areas, while witnesses from North Omdurman reported heavy artillery and rocket shelling towards the Bahri area
The Sudanese army intensified its shelling on residential neighborhoods on Friday, while clashes renewed in the city of Al-Fashir, the capital of North Kordofan state. Meanwhile, the Rapid Support Forces reported the deaths of many civilians in airstrikes carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces, using explosive barrels similar to the Syrian army’s approach during its war against opposition factions.
The Rapid Support Forces confirmed in a statement posted on their Facebook page on Friday that “the airstrikes by the aircraft on Thursday claimed the lives of five innocent individuals from one family in the Khoglab area in North Bahri, and resulted in the destruction of several houses by the explosive barrels.”
They continued, “The RSF aircraft targeted the Al-Azuzab area south of Khartoum, resulting in the death of nine people and injuries to dozens. The coup plotters sought to deny their involvement in the bombing and attempted to accuse our forces of carrying out the airstrikes. Additionally, 12 people were killed in an aerial bombardment with explosive barrels in the Qendahar Livestock Market in Omdurman on Thursday evening, with dozens injured and several barns set on fire.”
The Syrian regime had previously targeted opposition-controlled residential areas with explosive barrels during the civil war, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians.
Eyewitnesses reported that Sudanese Armed Forces aircraft targeted areas in Soba, east of the Nile, while others reported heavy artillery and rocket shelling towards the Bahri area, north and south of the capital, Khartoum.
The Sudanese army’s warplanes also launched intense airstrikes on Rapid Support Forces’ positions around the Sports City and neighborhoods located south of the armored corps.
The city of Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, witnessed fierce clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. Governor of West Darfur state, Minni Arko Minawi, warned that if the city of Al-Fashir collapses, it would lead to the collapse of the entire region.
He urged citizens to bear arms to protect themselves and their properties, with expectations that Al-Fashir might turn into a war zone.
The Sudanese army opened training camps in Jabal Awlia, south of Khartoum, which is known to be loyal to the forces of Abdul Fattah al-Burhan in their battle against the Rapid Support Forces. This move aims to strengthen their ranks after recent defections and the deaths of several officers and soldiers.
In a statement on their Facebook page on Friday, the Rapid Support Forces asserted that “the calls for mobilization launched by the Sudanese army are clear evidence that the ongoing war is part of a bigger plan between the leaders of the former regime in the armed forces and the National Congress Party, aiming to regain power. This confirms that their battle is not limited to the Rapid Support Forces, but rather to eliminate anyone who was involved in uprooting their corrupt regime.”
They added, “The deceit and misleading calls launched by the coup leaders and their defunct regime to gather and mobilize people under the guise of patriotism and dignity have been met with rejection and condemnation from our people, who are not fooled by the exposed maneuvers of the defunct regime, which it has been practicing for thirty years.”
They concluded, “Our forces are fully prepared and ready to continue the struggle until the end against the state of nepotism and corruption, in order to establish a democratic transition and restructure the state on new foundations based on freedom, justice, and equality.”
In a related context, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) reported today, Friday, that its team in Khartoum was subjected to a violent attack and one of their vehicles was stolen by a group of armed individuals.
The organization posted on Twitter that one of its teams, consisting of 18 people, “was violently attacked on Thursday by a group of armed individuals who beat and whipped them.”
The organization added, “They arrested one of our drivers and threatened his life before releasing him, and they also stole one of our cars.” It clarified that the incident occurred while the team was transporting medical supplies from the organization’s warehouses to the Turkish hospital.
According to the organization’s statement, the team was intercepted 700 meters away from the hospital, one of the only two functioning hospitals in South Khartoum, with support from the non-governmental organization. Médecins Sans Frontières warned that as a result of this attack, “our presence in the Turkish hospital may not continue.”
Since its outbreak on April 15th, the war between the army led by Abdul Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemeti” has resulted in the deaths of at least three thousand people and the displacement of more than three million people, both internally and externally.
Sudan is one of the world’s poorest countries, and over half of its population currently needs assistance to survive, while the state of famine warning has reached its peak, and more than two-thirds of hospitals are out of service.
With the start of the rainy season, it is expected that epidemics will spread as they do every year, contributing to the worsening of the malnutrition crisis.
Humanitarian workers continue to demand access to conflict areas in vain, stating that the authorities prevent aid from reaching customs and do not issue entry visas for relief workers.
