Sudan Armed Forces continue offensive against RSF militia

The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) continued its offensive on sites occupied by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum state this morning. Areas near Hamrat El Sheikh in North Kordofan were also bombed. Fighting resumed in Nyala, capital of South Darfur yesterday, leaving at least five civilians dead. Army soldiers are combing the streets in Zalingei, Central Darfur.

The newly established Sudan War Updates tweeted this morning that the air force bombed RSF sites in the Sharg El Nil district in the east of Khartoum North.

A source in the army said that the air force bombed RSF sites in El Riyadh neighbourhood in eastern Khartoum. He also reported airstrikes on areas near Hamrat El Sheikh bordering North Darfur. The RSF defended the sites with anti-aircraft missiles.

Yesterday, Radio Dabanga received reports about heavy battles from listeners living in El Lamab neighbourhood in Khartoum, and El Salha and El Sharafiya in Omdurman.

Since the end of last week, the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) intensified their attacks on areas in the country’s capital occupied by RSF paramilitaries. On Sunday, the Republican Palace in Khartoum was bombed.

The next day, the Sudanese air force continued to bombard multiple areas of Khartoum state. Residents of Abrof in old Omdurman were forcibly evacuated in preparation of expected heavy fighting. On Tuesday, at least 20 civilians were killed in the area. The army reported an extensive combing operation across the city, while the RSF alleged successful defence against army attacks.

‘War tactics’

Emergency Lawyers reported on Wednesday that the Military Hospital in Omdurman refused to receive wounded civilians during Tuesday’s fierce fighting.

People had to bury bodies together in large graves dug near their homes because of the fighting. A large number of houses in several parts in Omdurman have been damaged or destroyed by missiles, the report said.

The lawyers consider the attacks and fighting in residential areas in Khartoum state, Darfur and Kordofan “grave violations of international humanitarian law, which include war crimes and crimes against humanity”.

Khartoum North (Khartoum Bahri) is increasingly desperate for drinking water, Sudan War Updates tweeted yesterday evening.

“The RSF is blocking engineers from accessing the water stations to maintain the main water pipes. At the same time, people inside the neighbourhoods cannot reach the river as they are under siege,” the news outlet reported. “Moreover, the RSF is banning tankers selling water from entering the area. RSF is using civilian suffering as a war tactic.”

West of Khartoum

The Darfur Bar Association (DBA) this morning reported renewed heavy shelling between the Sudanese army and the RSF in Nyala. At least five people were killed, including two children. Many people sustained injuries.

The situation in Zalingei, capital of Central Darfur, seems to have calmed. SAF spokesperson Nabil Abdallah said in a press statement on Wednesday that the 21st Division in the city “conducted successful combing operations during which it secured the perimeter of the city”.

In North Kordofan, a military aircraft of the Sudanese air force bombed areas near the earthen airstrip about seven kilometres south of Hamrat El Sheikh in southwest North Kordofan. No casualties were reported, a military source told Radio Dabanga yesterday.

There is a gold mine in the area, which is exploited by the RSF.

Other sources reported “the repeated landing of an unidentified aircraft at the runway-under-construction south of the town”. The area is “under full control of the RSF”. Since early August, men “affiliated with the RSF” were seen working on the runway with bulldozers.

“The aircraft landed four times, the first time on July 7 and the last time on August 7,” the sources said. “The reasons for the landing of the aeroplane are not known.”

After the aircraft left on Monday, the air force bombed the area near the gold mine north of the runway. No casualties were reported.

The sources further noted the existence of a RSF site near Tana in Sodari.

East of Khartoum

In eastern Sudan, military intelligence officers in El Butana announced the seizure of three vehicles loaded with weapons. The convoy was on its way to Khartoum.