NAIROBI (KAAB TV) – Heavy fighting broke out once again on Wednesday morning between Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in and around the capital city of Khartoum, mere minutes after a 72-hour ceasefire came to an end.
As the three-day truce expired early in the morning, the sounds of gunfire and artillery reverberated through Khartoum and its neighboring city, Omdurman, reigniting fear among the civilian population.
According to reports from Khartoum resident Ammar Hassan, gunshots were heard around the department of military engineering, an army-controlled building that the RSF had attempted to seize on several occasions without success.
Hassan added that intense clashes erupted in the southern part of Omdurman, specifically around the engineering department. The attacks were reported in Fetihab, Um Baddah El Mansura, Al Doha, Abbasia, and other areas.
The Sudanese army and the RSF have been engaged in fighting for over two months, resulting in widespread destruction in the capital and escalating violence in Khartoum, as well as the western region of Darfur.
The United Nations estimates that more than 2.5 million people have been displaced from their homes due to the conflict.
During the brief respite provided by the three-day ceasefire, residents of Khartoum and Omdurman were able to leave their homes and secure essential supplies.
However, Manal Osman, a resident of the Saleha neighborhood south of Omdurman, reported that with the intensification of fighting, basic commodities were once again becoming scarce, and families were unable to access essential services.
Osman described the situation as “horrible,” noting that some residents were attempting to flee the area.
Large numbers of people continue to leave the city, while others opt to stay behind, where life appears to carry on normally.
Witnesses in the southern part of Khartoum reported that army aircraft conducted airstrikes on RSF troops stationed at the Olympic Stadium.
Mohammed Abdallah, a resident of the Mayo neighborhood, confirmed that at least one bomb struck a house in the al-Andalus area, though no casualties were reported as it landed on an unoccupied dwelling.
Hassan highlighted the increasing challenges in accessing healthcare as the two warring factions persist in their battles. He estimated that over 60% of the region’s health centers, located in and around the conflict zone, are currently out of service.
Meanwhile, unverified reports surfaced of clashes in the Delenj region of South Kordofan state between the army and a rebel group known as the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-North), led by General Abdulaziz Al Hilu.