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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Drug peddler's property worth Rs 1 crore attached in Srinagar
Srinagar (PTI): Property worth Rs 1 crore belonging to a notorious drug peddler was on Saturday attached in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar, police said.
A double-storey house on eight marlas of land situated at Wantpora Eidgah, belonging to Basit Bilal Dar, a notorious drug peddler, valued at approximately Rs 1 crore, a police spokesperson said.
He said Dar is involved in two cases registered under various sections of the NDPS Act.
During investigation, it was established that the accused had acquired the said property through illicit proceeds generated from drug trafficking activities, the spokesperson said.
Consequently, the property was attached under the provisions of the NDPS Act. The attachment proceedings were conducted in the presence of the two independent witnesses, strictly in accordance with the prescribed legal procedures, he said.
As per the attachment order, the owner has been restrained from selling, leasing, transferring, altering, or creating any third-party interest in the property till further orders, the spokesperson added.
