Photos: Sudan battles intensify on third day

People in Khartoum have woken up after a third day of fierce clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as the battle for control of the country intensifies.

Airstrikes and shelling hit parts of the capital and the neighboring town of Omdurman on Monday. There was also extended shooting near the military headquarters, with white smoke billowing from the area. Residents squatting in their homes reported power outages and looting.

The clashes are part of a power struggle between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the commander of the armed forces, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of the RSF. The two generals are former allies who jointly orchestrated an October 2021 military coup that derailed Sudan’s short-lived transition to democracy following the overthrow of longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir in 2019.

In recent months, negotiations have been underway to get back on the road to democracy. Under international pressure, al-Burhan and Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, reached a framework agreement with political parties and pro-democracy groups.

However, the deal was vague on key points of contention, including how the RSF would be integrated into the force and who would have ultimate control. The signing of the deal was repeatedly delayed due to rising tensions between al-Burhan and Hemedti.

Top diplomats urged the parties to stop fighting, including the United Nations Secretary General, the head of the Arab League, the head of the African Union Commission, the US Secretary of State and the head of the foreign policy of the European Union. The UN Security Council was due to discuss developments in Sudan later on Monday.

Fighting also spread to the war-ravaged region of West Darfur and areas in northern and eastern Sudan near the borders with Egypt and Ethiopia. Last weekend, the World Food Program suspended its activities in Sudan after three of its staff were killed in fighting in Darfur.