Violent Conflicts in Sudan Despite Ceasefire Attempts

Violence erupted this weekend in a power struggle between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the army. At least 270 people have been killed and 2,600 injured, according to Sudan’s Ministry of Health, as cited by the World Health Organization. The conflict could involve regional actors supporting different factions and may also influence the rivalry between Russia and the United States for regional influence.

Attacks Targeting Hospitals and Humanitarian Workers

Armed individuals have targeted hospitals and humanitarian workers, with reports of sexual violence against aid workers, according to the United Nations. The majority of hospitals are out of service. Even before the conflict, about a quarter of Sudan’s population faced severe famine. The World Food Programme suspended one of its largest international aid operations in the country on Saturday after the death of three of its employees.

Read also: Clashes in Sudan: Army and Rapid Support Forces in conflict, raising fears of civil war

Failed Ceasefire and Evacuation Complications

Foreign powers, including the United States, have called for a ceasefire between the army and the RSF to allow trapped residents to receive aid and vital supplies and evacuate foreign citizens. Both sides agreed to a 24-hour pause in hostilities starting Tuesday evening, but gunfire persisted without interruption, and the army and RSF issued statements accusing each other of not respecting the truce.

Due to the closure of Khartoum International Airport and recent attacks on diplomats and other targets, evacuations appear complicated without a prolonged pause in the fighting. The U.S. State Department stated that the “uncertain security situation” and the airport’s closure meant there were no plans for a government-coordinated evacuation.

Consequences for Residents

Widespread disruptions in electricity and water have left residents struggling in the final days of the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast between dawn and dusk. Offices and schools were closed in Khartoum, and there have been numerous reports of looting and assault. Long queues formed in front of the few remaining operational bakeries.

The fighting pits military leader Burhan against RSF chief General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, following tensions over a plan to integrate the RSF into the regular army. Burhan leads a governance council established after the 2021 military coup and the 2019 ousting of autocratic veteran Omar al-Bashir, while Dagalo – better known as Hemedti – was his deputy within the governance council.