Attempted coup in Sudan

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In Sudan, fighting has broken out in several parts of the country amid a power struggle between the army and a major paramilitary group. In the capital Khartoum, continuous gunshots and explosions have been heard since Saturday morning in several neighborhoods, including at the airport and near the presidential palace in the north of the city. Also in the south of the city seems to be fighting. There is the headquarters of the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which would be integrated into the state army. At least three people have been killed in Khartoum. According to media reports, fighting is also raging in the states of White Nile and North Darfur.

Sudanese soldiers marched into their headquarters on Saturday morning, according to the RSF. According to reports and eyewitnesses, RSF forces attack Khartoum airport. The RSF initially reported that they had taken control of the presidential palace and airport. However, the Sudanese army contradicts this on Twitter. This information cannot be independently confirmed at this time.

Elections postponed indefinitely

The Sudanese Air Force attacks RSF bases. According to eyewitnesses, at least two tanks were deployed in Khartoum.

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. Democratic elections should have been held in 2021. General al-Burhan promised to hand over power to a civilian government. But the army and the RSF led by leader Mohammed Hamdan Daglo secured power together in the fall of 2021. The elections have been postponed indefinitely.

Tensions between the two military leaders have increased in recent months. This week, the army postponed the appointment of a new prime minister.

international concern

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

The United Nations Special Representative in Sudan, Volker Perthes, has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Both sides must ensure the security of the Sudanese people and refrain from further violence. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also calls for an immediate end to the violence. “An escalation will only make the situation worse,” he warns on Twitter. The safety of citizens is paramount.

On Thursday, the Sudanese army warned against mobilizing the RSF. Observers see the mobilization as a threatening gesture against the rulers and commander-in-chief al-Burhan. Daglo recently spoke surprisingly in favor of a swift transition to civilian rule, opposing al-Burhan. About 46 million people live in the Northeast African country. (SDA/no)

Source: Blick