Paramilitaries in Sudan speak of taking over the presidential palace

Sudan’s paramilitary units have taken control of the presidential palace and airport in the capital Khartoum, according to their own statements. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) group, which rivals the army, announced this on Saturday after shots and explosions had previously occurred in various parts of the capital. The background is a power struggle between the army and the paramilitaries, who should actually be integrated into the armed forces. The RSF said soldiers entered their headquarters on Saturday morning. The information provided by both parties could initially not be independently confirmed.

US Ambassador to Sudan John Godfrey confirmed on Twitter that gunfire and fighting were heard in Khartoum. He warned that escalating tensions between military units were “extremely dangerous”. The embassy called on its staff and US citizens in Sudan not to leave their homes.

Since the fall of longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir in April 2019, the army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has controlled the country. The army and the RSF led by leader Mohammed Hamdan Daglo had jointly regained power in the fall of 2021, but tensions between the two military leaders have increased in recent months. The dispute is delaying the transition to civilian rule promised by ruler al-Burhan. An escalation led to fears of violent clashes that could lead to civil war. (sda/dpa)