At Least 56 Killed as Fighting Escalates in Sudan's Capital

Artillery shelling and airstrikes on Saturday killed at least 56 people across greater Khartoum, marking the latest escalation in Sudan’s ongoing war. The violence is part of the ongoing power struggle between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has intensified since April 2023. The army is currently battling to regain control of the capital.

RSF shelling targeted a busy market in Omdurman, an army-controlled area of greater Khartoum, killing 54 people and injuring 158. The attack overwhelmed the city’s Al-Nao Hospital, according to a medical source and the health ministry. A survivor described the devastation, stating the shells struck a vegetable market, resulting in a high number of casualties.

While the RSF denied responsibility for the attack, French charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported "utter carnage" at the hospital. In Khartoum, two civilians were killed and dozens injured in an airstrike on an RSF-controlled area, with volunteer groups coordinating emergency care across the city.

The RSF has used drones in recent attacks, but the army retains control of fighter jets, which continue to carry out airstrikes. Both forces have been accused of targeting civilians and indiscriminately shelling residential neighborhoods.

At Al-Nao Hospital, MSF General Secretary Chris Lockyear described the situation as dire. "The morgue is full of dead bodies," he said, adding that the emergency room was overcrowded with victims. The hospital, one of the last functioning in Omdurman, has faced repeated attacks. The Sudanese doctors' union reported that one shell landed just meters from the hospital, and called for more medical staff to assist with the overwhelming number of casualties.

The war has caused widespread devastation, with over 12 million people displaced and critical infrastructure in ruins. The Sudanese army has recently made gains, recapturing territories in central Sudan, including the city of Wad Madani. Meanwhile, an army-allied militia, the Sudan Shield Forces, claimed control of several towns southeast of the capital on Saturday.

As both the army and RSF engage in counter-offensives around Khartoum, the capital remains a focal point of the conflict. After months of stalemate, the army has managed to break several RSF sieges on military bases, pushing the paramilitary group further into the outskirts. RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo vowed to retake the capital, stating, “We expelled them before, and we will expel them again.”

The toll of the fighting continues to rise, with an estimated 26,000 people killed in the capital between April 2023 and June 2024. As the violence rages, the humanitarian situation grows worse, with over 3.6 million civilians displaced and at least 106,000 facing famine in Khartoum. The United Nations warns that famine is spreading across Sudan, with five regions already declared famine zones and more expected to follow by May.