The south of Omdurman and the north of Khartoum are hit by bombing as sporadic gunfire echoes, witnesses say.
Artillery fire has shelled the outskirts of the Sudanese capital Khartoum as fighting that trapped civilians in a humanitarian crisis and displaced more than a million people entered its sixth week.
Witnesses on Saturday also reported airstrikes in southern Omdurman and Khartoum North, the two cities that lie across the Nile from Khartoum and form Sudan’s “triple capital.” Some of the attacks took place near the state broadcaster in Omdurman, witnesses said.
“We encountered heavy artillery fire early this morning, the whole house was shaking,” said Sanaa Hassan, 33, who lives in the al-Salha neighborhood of Omdurman. “It was terrifying, everyone was under their bed. What is happening is a nightmare.”
In Khartoum, the situation was relatively calm, although gunshots were occasionally heard.
The conflict, which began on April 15, has caused nearly 1.1 million people to flee, both internally and to neighboring countries. According to the World Health Organization, some 705 people have been killed and at least 5,287 injured.
The battle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has led to a breakdown in law and order with looting that both sides blame each other for. Stocks of food, cash and supplies are dwindling rapidly.
United States-Saudi Arabia-sponsored talks in Jeddah have been unsuccessful, and the two sides have accused each other of violating multiple ceasefire agreements.
The RSF is embedded in residential areas and almost constantly provokes airstrikes by the regular forces. In recent days, ground fighting has flared up again in the Darfur region in the towns of Nyala and Zalenjei.
In statements late Friday, both sides blamed each other for fueling fighting in Nyala, one of the country’s largest cities, which had been relatively quiet for weeks following a locally brokered truce.
On Saturday morning, sporadic gunfights took place near the city’s main market, close to army headquarters. Nearly 30 people were killed in the previous two days of fighting, activists said.
War broke out in Khartoum after disputes over plans to integrate the RSF into the military and over the future chain of command under an internationally backed deal to shift Sudan towards democracy after decades of authoritarian rule by ex-leader Omar al-Bashir .
The US Agency for International Development announced late Friday that more than $100 million will be earmarked for Sudan and countries hosting fleeing Sudanese, including much-needed food and medical aid.
“It is difficult to convey the magnitude of the suffering in Sudan,” said Samantha Power, head of the agency.
Qatar on Saturday denounced the destruction of its embassy in Khartoum by “the irregular forces”, noting that its diplomats and consular staff had already been evacuated. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for the perpetrators to be prosecuted.