In an escalation of violence in Sudan, Khartoum air strikes have claimed the lives of 23 civilians in the capital's southern market.
The attack comes amid Sudan civil war, which has held the nation down since April 2023, pitting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Khartoum air strikes show how increasingly precarious the situation for civilians caught in the crossfire of this brutal conflict can be.
More than 40 others were said to be wounded, the Southern Belt emergency room said on Sunday in a post on Facebook.
“Some of them are in critical condition. This is the result of the military air bombing of Khartoum central market yesterday [Saturday] afternoon,” it said, quoting witnesses at the market area.
The Khartoum Air Strikes
On Sunday, airstrikes targeted a crowded marketplace in southern Khartoum, where vendors and shoppers were going about their business. The strikes left 23 people dead and dozens more wounded, making it one of the deadliest attacks in the capital in recent months.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as bodies were strewn across the market, while survivors attempted to pull others from the rubble. The Sudan civil war has seen repeated air raids, but this attack has drawn significant attention due to the high civilian casualty.
While the Sudanese Armed Forces have not officially commented on the market bombing, they have been engaged in an intense battle with the RSF for control of Khartoum and other strategic locations across Sudan. Both sides have been accused of disregarding civilian lives, with urban areas frequently becoming battlegrounds, despite the presence of non-combatants.
The Sudan Civil War
The Sudan civil war began in April 2023, triggered by a power struggle between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the SAF, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, leader of the RSF. What began as a dispute over the integration of the RSF into the national military quickly spiraled into a full-blown conflict.
Khartoum, the nation’s capital, has been one of the most contested cities, with both sides seeking to control government buildings and infrastructure.
The Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary group with roots in the notorious Janjaweed militia, have proven to be a formidable force against the SAF. Their tactics, however, have been widely condemned by international organizations due to their disregard for civilian safety and widespread use of violence.
Closing Note
The global community has condemned the escalating violence in Sudan, with particular outrage over the humanitarian crisis like Famine. Aid organizations have called for immediate ceasefires to protect civilians, and diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have intensified. However, until both the SAF and RSF are willing to engage in substantive negotiations, the violence is expected to continue, with civilians bearing the brunt of the conflict.
In the aftermath of the recent Khartoum air strikes, international observers are once again urging Sudan’s warring factions to prioritize the safety of non-combatants and seek a peaceful resolution to the civil war. As the conflict drags on, the suffering of the Sudanese people continues, leaving the nation in a deepening state of turmoil.