Sudan’s army and a paramilitary force have been fighting with heavy weapons in Khartoum on Saturday, raising tensions over a transition to civilian rule.
At least three people have been reported dead from the violent clashes.
In Khartoum, the sound of heavy firing could be heard in a number of areas, including the city centre and the neighbourhood of Bahri.
In a series of statements, the Rapid Support Forces militia accused the army of attacking its forces at one of its bases in south Khartoum. They claimed they seized the city’s airport and “completely controlled” Khartoum’s Republican Palace, the seat of the country’s presidency.
The group also said it seized an airport and air base in the northern city of Merowe some 350 kilometres (215 miles) northwest of Khartoum.
The Sudanese military declared the RSF a rebel force and described the paramilitary’s statements as “lies.”
A military official told the AP that fighter jets took off from a military base north of Omdurman and attacked the RSF’s positions in and around Khartoum. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to brief the media.
The clashes came as tensions between the military and the RSF have escalated in recent months, forcing a delay in the signing of an internationally backed deal with political parties to revive the country’s democratic transition.
Saudi Arabia’s national airline said one of its Airbus A330s was involved in “an accident” after video showed it on fire on the tarmac at Khartoum International Airport amid the fighting.
More to follow…
