At least 56 people, including an Indian national, were killed and close to 600 have been injured amid the ongoing clashes between Sudan’s military, Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and the country’s powerful government paramilitary force, Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Sudan’s military and RSF had entered a fierce battle on Saturday in various areas across the country including the capital. While there have been fears of a wider conflict unfolding, the hopes of Sudan transitioning into a democracy have taken a new hit.
The clashes began on Saturday morning and firing could be heard in the country’s capital, Khartoum, and in neighbouring areas. Military and RSF have both gathered thousands of troops in the capital, AP reported.
An Indian citizen, Albert Augestine, died amidst the RSF-SAF clashes, the Indian Embassy said in a tweet. Working for the Dal Group Company in Sudan, Augestine was hit by a stray bullet on Saturday.
The Indian embassy said, “It has been reported that Mr Albert Augestine, an Indian National working in a Dal Group Company in Sudan who got hit by a stray bullet yesterday succumbed to his injuries. Embassy is in touch with family and medical authorities to make further arrangements.”
So, what happened in Sudan and why?
The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors said on Sunday that at least 56 civilians had died and over 595 had been injured in the clashes. Out of this, in the capital city of Khartoum, 25 people including 17 civilians have lost their lives.
Both Sudan’s military and paramilitary forces have blamed each other for escalating and initiating the violence.
The RSF has claimed that its forces have control over key areas in Khartoum, including the army chief’s residence, the presidential palace and three airports. Attacks near many other important areas have been reported including army headquarters, the defence ministry and the state TV stations. While the SAF has refuted the RSF’s claim, the armed forces have also claimed that they have attacked RSF bases.
While there is no electricity in many parts of Sudan and people have been encouraging to stay inside their houses amid heightened tensions, other countries have been affected by the ongoing crisis.
A Saudi passenger plane which was supposed to take off from Sudan for Saudi Arabia was subjected to gunfire before it landed in Riyadh.
“It has been confirmed that all members of the aircraft’s cabin crew have safely arrived at the Saudi Embassy in Sudan,” the airlines said in a statement.
While the Airbus A330 had returned to Saudi Arabia, all the flights to and from Sudan have been suspended by the country.
Why are tensions escalating in Sudan?
The clashes are a result of a month-long tension between the RSF and SAF regarding bringing Sudan back to democracy. Sudan’s political parties had been in conversation to bring back the short-lived democracy in the country, which was destabilised by a military coup in 2021.
Read Here: Advisory for Indians in Sudan amid army-paramilitary confrontation
Sudan had attained democracy for a brief time period when Abdalla Hamdok, the democratic prime minister of Sudan had toppled the rule of Sudan leader Omar al-Bashir in 2019. However, in 2021, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of RSF and Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of SAF came together for a military coup.
Dagalo and Burhan had decided on Friday that they would work towards de-escalating the tensions between the two military groups along with defusing the issue regarding who out of the two will be heading the military in a democratic government. Another issue Dagalo and al-Burhan decided to work towards was the disagreements over RSF’s integration into the army.
However, soon after, the tensions escalated with RSF deploying their forces in the capital and other locations. It was also reported that Dagalo had told the media that the RSF would not back down until they had covered all military bases.
According to the New York Times, since it gained independence in 1956, Sudan is the only African country that has had the most successful military coups. However, none before have just been between two wings of the armed forces.
What have other nations said?
Countries worldwide have urged the two groups to call a ceasefire and de-escalate the tensions within the country.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to the violence and tweeted, “I condemn the outbreak of fighting between the Rapid Support Forces & the Sudanese Armed Forces in Sudan. I’m engaging with the AU and leaders in the region & reaffirm the commitment of the @UN to support the people of Sudan in their efforts to restore a democratic transition.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a statement on Sunday, said that “dangerous fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Security Forces… threatens the security and safety of Sudanese civilians and undermines efforts to restore Sudan’s democratic transition”.
He further added, “The only way forward is to return to negotiations that support the Sudanese people’s democratic aspirations. We continue to remain in close touch with our Embassy in Khartoum and have full accountability of our personnel. We also have been communicating with American citizens who may be in the region about safety measures and other precautions.”
China’s foreign minister called for an immediate ceasefire and said the country was concerned about the developments in Sudan. Reuters reported that the Chinese Embassy in Sudan had asked Chinese nationals to remain safe.
