An airstrike on a Sudanese city killed at least 22 people on Saturday, health authorities said, in one of the deadliest airstrikes to date in weeks-long clashes between the African country’s rival generals. .
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The assault took place in a residential area of Omdurman, a neighboring city of the capital, Khartoum, according to a brief statement from the Ministry of Health. The attack injured an unknown number of people, according to the authorities’ report.
The attack was one of the deadliest of clashes in urban areas of the capital and elsewhere in Sudan between the army and a powerful paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (FAR). Last month, an airstrike killed at least 17 people, including 5 children, in Khartoum.
The FAR blamed the military for attacking residential areas of Omdurman, where, according to residents, fighting has been taking place between the warring factions. It appears that the military has attempted to cut off a crucial supply line for the paramilitary force in the area.
A spokesman for the Sudanese army declined to comment on the episode.
Two Omdurman residents said it was difficult to determine which side was responsible for the attack. They claimed that Army planes have repeatedly attacked FAR troops in the area and that the paramilitary force has used drones and anti-aircraft weapons against the military.
At the time of the attack, early on Saturday, the military was attacking the Rapid Support Forces, which seized people’s houses as shields and fired anti-aircraft rounds at the attacking warplanes, Abdel-Rahman said, one of the residents who asked to use only his first name for his safety.
A conflict in flames
The conflict broke out in mid-April, culminating months of growing tensions between the leaders of the Army and the paramilitary group.
Authorities declared last month that the clashes have caused more than 3,000 deaths and more than 6,000 injuries.
More than 2.9 million people have fled their homes to safer areas inside Sudan or have crossed into neighboring countries, according to UN figures.
*With PA; adapted from its original in English
