Sudan conflict: Over 56 killed in airstrikes and shelling across Greater Khartoum
Khartoum: Intense fighting between Sudan’s regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) escalated on Saturday, resulting in at least 56 deaths and numerous injuries due to airstrikes and artillery shelling across Greater Khartoum. The ongoing conflict, which began in April 2023, has intensified as the army attempts to reclaim the capital.
Attack on Omdurman market leaves 54 dead
An RSF attack on a crowded market in army-controlled Omdurman killed 54 people and injured 158, overwhelming Al-Nao Hospital—one of the last operational medical facilities in the city. Eyewitnesses reported that shells struck the centre of a vegetable market, causing heavy casualties. While the RSF denied responsibility, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) described the hospital as being in a state of "utter carnage."
Airstrikes and rising civilian toll
In another incident, an airstrike in an RSF-controlled area of Khartoum killed two civilians and wounded dozens, according to local emergency response teams. While the RSF has deployed drones in attacks, the Sudanese army continues to dominate aerial strikes. Both sides have been accused of indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, worsening the humanitarian crisis.
The war has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced over 12 million people, and severely damaged Sudan’s healthcare system. MSF General Secretary Chris Lockyear, present at Al-Nao Hospital, reported dire conditions, with the morgue overflowing and a severe shortage of medical supplies, including blood donors and stretchers.
Army advances amid RSF resistance
The escalation follows the Sudanese army’s offensive across central Sudan. Having reclaimed Wad Madani, the army is now focusing on retaking Khartoum. However, the RSF still controls key routes, including the road between Wad Madani and Khartoum.
The army-allied Sudan Shield Forces announced the capture of multiple towns southeast of the capital. Their leader, Abu Aqla Kaykal, a former RSF commander, has been accused of atrocities both during his time with the paramilitary and in his current role with the army.
In recent weeks, the army has managed to break RSF blockades on several bases in Khartoum, forcing RSF fighters to retreat to the city's outskirts. The shelling in Omdurman reportedly originated from RSF positions in the western part of the city.
Humanitarian crisis worsens
Khartoum, once a thriving capital, has been devastated by nearly two years of war. A study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimates that 26,000 people were killed in the city between April 2023 and June 2024.
The UN reports that 106,000 people in Khartoum are facing famine, while 3.2 million are experiencing extreme food shortages. Nationally, famine has been declared in five regions, mostly in Darfur, and is expected to worsen by May. With no end in sight, the conflict continues to devastate the nation, leaving millions in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
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One person taken into custody after woman found dead in Himachal forest
Nahan (HP) (PTI): A suspect has been taken into custody after a woman's partially burnt body was found in a forest near a police battalion camp in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmour district, police said.
The body of the woman, who is stated to be in her late 30s, was spotted in the dense forest of the Karaunde Wali Ghati area near Dhaula Kuan by locals on Wednesday morning. The identity of the deceased has not yet been established.
The accused in the case was taken into custody at Bata Bridge in Paonta Sahib on Wednesday evening following scanning of the CCTV footage of the area coupled with inputs from Haryana Police, police said.
According to police, the accused is a resident of Barara town in Ambala district of Haryana. A case of kidnapping has already been registered against him in Ambala.
Sirmour District Superintendent of Police Nischint Singh Negi said one person has been taken into custody following contact with Haryana Police.
Postmortem examination of the woman is scheduled to be conducted on Thursday at the Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar Government Medical College at Nahan.
Police are currently investigating whether the woman was murdered in Barara itself, and if her body was subsequently dumped in the Paonta forest and set on fire.
