Sudan’s Military and Paramilitary Forces Clash in Khartoum, Killing 26 and Wounding Over 100

Fierce clashes between Sudan’s military and a powerful paramilitary force erupted in the capital of Khartoum and elsewhere in the country on Saturday, dealing a new blow to hopes for a transition to democracy and raising fears of a wider conflict.

Paramilitary chief Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo claims to have seized most of Khartoum’s official sites after the clashes began. However, military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan disputed Dagalo’s claims, saying that the military has maintained control over government sites.

The tensions have delayed a deal with political parties to get the country back to its short-lived transition to democracy, which was derailed by an October 2021 military coup. Dagalo said in an interview with Sky News Arabia that his paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, control more than 90 percent of strategic sites in Khartoum.

The country’s doctors’ syndicate said at least 26 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in the clashes. The violence has caused alarm among international observers, who fear that the conflict could spiral out of control and lead to further unrest in the region.

The United Nations, African Union, and other international organizations have called for an immediate end to the violence and a return to the negotiating table. The international community is urging all sides to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict and to ensure that the transition to democracy is not derailed.