Sudan plunges deeper into chaos as RSF, SAF fighting forces thousands to flee their homes
A man walks while smoke rises above buildings after aerial bombardment, during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum North, Sudan, May 1, 2023. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has intensified on multiple fronts across Sudan, particularly in the states of Sinnar, West Kordofan, and North Darfur.
The RSF announced via the social media platform X on Wednesday that its forces had seized an army headquarters and the bridge linking Sinnar and Gedaref states. It also confirmed it launched an intensive artillery bombardment at dawn on the capital city of El Fasher.
Also on Wednesday, the SAF announced that it had repelled an RSF attack on Al Meiram city in West Kordofan.
In a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) over 55,400 people have fled Singa, the capital city of Sinnar State, due to the ongoing clashes, adding that the displaced residents have sought refuge in neighboring states, including Gedaref, Blue Nile, White Nile, and Kassala.
According to the Humanitarian Aid Commission in Gedaref State, 130,000 more people may flee from Sinnar State in the coming days.
Al-Sinnari Observatory, a local legal organization, warned of the repercussions of the conflict. It stated that blackouts and water cuts have continued for five consecutive days after the RSF entered Singa, noting that communication networks have also been disrupted.
