Recent shelling by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces in Omdurman killed six civilians, including two children, and injured 36 others. The conflict, escalating since April 2023, has resulted in significant casualties and displacement, with Khartoum experiencing a humanitarian crisis.
On Sunday, Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shelled Omdurman, a city neighboring the capital, Khartoum, resulting in the deaths of six civilians, including two children. A medical source reported that the assault also injured 36 individuals, half of whom were children, according to an anonymous doctor who spoke with AFP, citing safety concerns. The Khartoum regional government indicated that the shelling targeted residential areas in northern Omdurman, impacting families within their homes and children at play on a nearby football field.
The conflict between the RSF and Sudan’s army, which commenced in April 2023, has escalated within the capital this year. Following an initial loss of territory, the army has recently regained strategic ground and now states that its forces are positioned less than a kilometer from the presidential palace, which the RSF had captured at the conflict’s onset. This resurgence reflects a shift in dynamics between the competing forces.
The ongoing war has wrought substantial destruction, claiming tens of thousands of lives and displacing over 12 million individuals, leading to the world’s largest crisis concerning displacement and hunger. In Khartoum specifically, approximately 3.5 million residents have been compelled to evacuate their homes due to the violence.
Sudan finds itself profoundly fractured, with the RSF in control of significant areas in Darfur to the west and portions of the south, while the army exerts authority over the northern and eastern regions. Recent military progress in central Sudan and Khartoum has intensified the struggle for dominance within the capital, exacerbating an already critical situation.
In summary, the shelling in Omdurman serves as a stark illustration of the severe humanitarian toll resulting from the ongoing conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army. The civilian casualties reported underline the dire circumstances faced by residents. As the war continues to escalate, the implications for the population are increasingly grave, with millions displaced and widespread devastation across the region.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
