Sudan's Army and rival force battle, killing at least 27

The clashes capped months of heightened tensions between the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces group

Sudan’s military and a powerful paramilitary force battled fiercely on April 15 in the capital and other areas, reportedly causing more than 200 deaths and injuries while dealing a new blow to hopes for a transition to democracy and raising fears of a wider conflict.

The country’s doctors’ syndicate said late Saturday that at least 27 people had been killed and more than 180 wounded. But the Sudan Doctor’s Syndicate added that there many uncounted casualties, including military and RSF personnel in the western Darfur region and the northern town of Merowe.

Also read | Indians in Sudan asked to stay indoors as fighting breaks out in capital Khartoum

The clashes capped months of heightened tensions between the armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces group. Those tensions had 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.

After a day of heavy fighting, the military ruled out negotiations with the RSF, instead calling for the dismantling of what it called a “rebellious militia.” The tough language signaled that the conflict between the former allies, who jointly orchestrated the 2021 coup, was likely to continue.

The Sudan Doctor’s Syndicate did not immediately release details of where the 27 deaths occurred, but it said at least six of them were in the capital Khartoum and its sister city Omdurman. At least eight dead and 58 wounded were in the vicinity of Nyala, the capital city of the South Darfur province in the southwest.

The fighting erupted early Saturday. The sound of heavy firing could be heard throughout the day across the neighborhoods in and near the capital, where the military and the RSF had massed tens of thousands of troops since the coup.