(Updates with information on clashes)
By Khalid Abdelaziz and Nafisa Eltahir
KHARTOUM, April 15 (Reuters) –
Sudan’s main paramilitary group and regular armed forces exchanged fire in Khartoum and other parts of the country on Saturday in an apparent fight for control.
The army rejected claims by the Rapid Support Forces that they had seized the presidential palace, the army chief’s residence, and the airports in Khartoum and the northern city of Merowe.
Army chief General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan told Al Jazeera TV: “We believe that if they are sensible, they will push back the soldiers who entered Khartoum. But if it continues, we will have to deploy soldiers to Khartoum from other areas. “.
RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, called Burhan a “criminal” and a “liar.”
“We know where you are hiding and we will get to you and hand you over to justice, or you will die like any other dog,” he told the station in an interview.
With conflicting versions of events given by both sides, the situation on the ground was unclear.
The RSF said that the army had attacked it first, while the army said that it was fighting against the RSF in places that the paramilitaries claimed to have taken over.
A prolonged standoff between the RSF and the army could plunge Sudan into widespread conflict as it grapples with economic crisis and tribal violence, and could also derail efforts to move toward holding elections.
The confrontations take place after the growing tensions between the army and the RSF due to the integration of the latter into the army. The disagreement has delayed the signing of an internationally endorsed deal with political parties on a transition to democracy.
The civilian forces that signed a draft version of the agreement in December called on Saturday for an immediate cessation of hostilities, both by the army and the RSF, to prevent Sudan from slipping towards “the precipice of total collapse”.
“This is a crucial moment in the history of our country,” they said in a statement. “This is a war that no one will win and that will destroy our country forever.”
The RSF accused the army of carrying out a plot by those loyal to former strongman President Omar Hassan al-Bashir – who was ousted in 2019 – and attempting a coup of its own.
Medics said a “large number” of civilians had been killed and wounded in the clashes, which spread to several residential neighborhoods in the capital. They only confirmed three deaths, as people took shelter from the shots.
The army claimed that the Sudanese air force was conducting operations against the RSF. Broadcaster images showed a military plane in the sky over Khartoum, but Reuters could not independently confirm this.
Gunshots were heard in various areas of Khartoum and eyewitnesses reported shootings in neighboring cities.
A Reuters journalist saw guns and armored vehicles deployed on the streets of the capital and heard heavy weapons fire near both the army and RSF headquarters.
Television images showed smoke rising over several areas of Khartoum.
Clashes also broke out at the headquarters of Sudanese state television, an on-screen presenter said.
Sudanese armed forces spokesman Mubasher told Al Jazeera television that the army would respond to any “irresponsible” actions.
Brigadier General Nabil Abdallah stated that there was a heavy presence of RSF soldiers at the TV headquarters in Khartoum.
(Khalid Abdelaziz in Khartoum and Nafisa Eltahir in Cairo Writing by Nafisa Eltahir and Michael Georgy Edited in Spanish by Juana Casas)
Source: Ambito
