Heavy fighting broke out in Sudan as the Sudanese army clashed with a powerful paramilitary force that claimed control of the airport and the presidential palace in the capital, Khartoum.
Residents said they heard heavy gunfire and tank shelling on Saturday after failed negotiations between the army, paramilitary and civilian groups over a long-awaited power-sharing deal after the October 2021 coup. The army and paramilitary forces confirmed that fighting was under way.
The violence is the latest setback in the long-delayed transition to civilian government after the overthrow of dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019 following months of street protests.
The fighting comes after days of tension in a power struggle between the military led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who became president after the October 2021 coup, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, Sudan’s vice president and leader of the powerful forces. Rapid Support Forces.
People familiar with al-Burhan’s thinking said there was a disagreement between the general and Hemedti over the leadership of the paramilitary forces and their integration into the army. For its part, the RSF blamed the army for initiating a “comprehensive attack with all kinds of heavy and light weapons”.
“I cannot set a time limit for the fight,” Hamidti told Al-Jazeera Arabia, adding that “Al-Burhan is a criminal.”
The army said in a statement, “The episodes of conspiracy and assault against our country continue by the forces rebelling against the state and national sovereignty.”
The statement indicated that “our forces are confronting the enemy, who is expelling his forces from his bases spread throughout the capital, in an attempt to control strategic sites,” including the palace, the army headquarters and the presidential complex.
The RSF said it was “forced to respond appropriately” after the “unprovoked attack by the Sudanese Armed Forces on our camp in Soba this morning”. It added in a statement that it had taken control of the palace and airports in Khartoum, Meroe, El Obeid and “several other locations” with the aim of “preventing the spread of violence and securing peace”.
A senior member of the Rapid Support Forces said that Khartoum International Airport is under its control, as well as Marawi International Airport, north of the capital.
A non-governmental Sudanese doctors committee said that residents of Khartoum and Meroe heard gunfire and that there were “a large number of wounded”.
The committee said that “these events took place in residential neighborhoods, which led to varying injuries and serious cases among citizens.”
“It’s a scary situation,” said a civil activist involved in the power-sharing negotiations.
The US ambassador to Sudan, John Godfrey, said that “the escalation of tensions within the military component to direct the fighting is extremely dangerous” and called on “senior military commanders” to stop the fighting. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said all members of the US Embassy in Khartoum had been accounted for and urged “all actors to stop the violence immediately”.
In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its “deep concern” about the violence and called on Sudan’s military and political leaders to “give priority to the language of dialogue, restraint and wisdom”. The ministry said they should focus on concluding talks on a power-sharing deal.
Saudi Arabian Airlines said it had suspended flights to Sudan after a flight bound for Riyadh came under fire at Khartoum airport and suffered damage.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said it was following the developments with “deep concern” and called on “all Sudanese parties to exercise the highest degree of restraint” and to give priority to “the higher interests of the nation”.
The Egyptian army said that it is “closely following the events in Sudan within the framework of the presence of the Egyptian forces that are conducting maneuvers with their Sudanese counterparts” and that they are coordinating with “the concerned parties in Sudan to ensure the security of the Egyptian forces.” “
The UAE called for “calm and restraint,” and urged efforts to achieve “a national consensus on forming a government.”
Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, called on all parties to “find a consensual solution to the crisis left over from the October 25 coup and its harmful consequences,” adding that “things are seriously out of control” on Saturday.
Hemedti is seen as close to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, while Burhan is seen as aligned with Egypt.
The RSF has its origins in the Janjaweed militia on horseback, a crumbling force accused of widespread atrocities in Darfur that later evolved into an elite bodyguard to protect Bashir, who did not want to concentrate power in the armed forces.
Both Sudan and South Sudan are members of the OPEC+ oil-producing group and share the oil export infrastructure, with all of their crude oil exports coming from the northern country.
While Sudan only produces about 50,000 bpd, South Sudan produces 140,000 bpd according to S&P Global Platts. Much of the south’s oil revenue goes to Sudan as transit fees or to repay loans to international oil companies, according to the International Crisis Group.
Additional reporting by Heba Saleh in Cairo, Samer Al-Atrash in Dubai, and David Sheppard in London