Doctors say hundreds of people were also injured as battles between the army and paramilitary forces raged into the second day.
The sounds of gunfire and heavy artillery reverberate in the Sudanese capital Khartoum for a second day as doctors say at least 56 civilians have been killed in fighting between the army and a powerful paramilitary force.
on Sunday fierce fight It came as the United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates called on the warring parties to “immediately end hostilities without preconditions.”
Witnesses told the Reuters news agency that the sounds of heavy artillery fire in Khartoum, the adjoining city of Omdurman and nearby Bahri continued early on Sunday, while an Al Jazeera television feed showed clouds of smoke hovering over the capital. .
The Sudanese Doctors Union said at least 56 civilians have been killed and 595 people, including fighters, injured since fighting broke out between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Saturday.
Both sides have been vying for power as political factions negotiate the formation of a transitional government after a 2021 military coup. Tensions stem from a disagreement between the military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, on how the paramilitary force should be integrated into the armed forces and which authority should oversee that process.
Al Jazeera’s Hiba Morgan, reporting from Khartoum, said the situation in the capital remained tense with civilians caught in the middle of the fighting.
“It doesn’t look like the situation is abating,” he said Saturday night. “In fact, the army has issued a statement saying that it will not negotiate with the Rapid Support Forces until those forces are disbanded and the rebel troops are eliminated.”
“We continue to see fighting in Khartoum near the vicinity of the presidential palace,” he said.
“We can hear shots. We hear heavy artillery shots. It is unclear who is in control of the palace and there are battles on state television. The army says it is in control of its headquarters and also of Khartoum International Airport.”
The world powers: the US, Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Nations, the European Union and the African Union, all appealed for the immediate cessation of hostilities.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that he had spoken with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and said the three countries “agreed that it was essential” that the fighting in Sudan end. .
“I urge General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhan and General Mohamed Hamdan Degalo to take active steps to reduce tensions and ensure the safety of all civilians,” he said. “The only way forward is to return to negotiations that support the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people.”
