Airstrike in Sudan’s Capital Claims Lives of 17, Including 5 Children

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Health officials in Sudan have reported that a devastating airstrike took place in the capital city of Khartoum on Saturday, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 17 lives, including five innocent children. This incident occurred amidst ongoing clashes between rival factions vying for control of the country.

The attack represents one of the deadliest confrontations between the military and a powerful paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in urban areas of Khartoum and other parts of Sudan. It remains unclear whether the airstrike was carried out by conventional aircraft or a drone. The military’s aircraft have previously targeted RSF troops, while reports suggest that the RSF has utilized drones and anti-aircraft weapons against the military.

The conflict in Sudan erupted in mid-April, following a period of escalating tensions between military leaders and the RSF. The Yormouk neighborhood in southern Khartoum, where the strike occurred, has been a focal point of recent clashes. This area houses a military facility under the control of the army, and the Ministry of Health noted that at least 25 houses were destroyed in the attack, as stated in their Facebook post.

According to the Ministry of Health, among the deceased are five children, along with an unknown number of women and elderly individuals. Several wounded individuals have been admitted to hospitals for treatment. The Emergency Room, a local group involved in organizing humanitarian aid, reported that the strike caused injuries to at least 11 people. They shared images depicting the damage inflicted on houses and people sifting through the rubble. Other images purportedly showed a wounded girl and man.

The RSF, in a statement, claimed that the military’s aircraft bombed the area, causing civilian casualties and injuries. They further alleged that they had downed a military MiG fighter jet. However, these claims made by the paramilitary group have yet to be independently verified.

Requests for comment from a military spokesperson went unanswered.

This conflict has thrown Sudan into chaos, transforming Khartoum and other urban areas into battlegrounds. Reports from residents and activists suggest that the paramilitary force has occupied civilian properties, including people’s homes, since the conflict’s inception.

The clashes have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians and left thousands wounded. Over 2.2 million individuals have been displaced, either seeking refuge in safer regions within Sudan or crossing the borders into neighboring countries.

The violence extends beyond Khartoum, with intense fighting also occurring in Darfur, a vast region in western Sudan. Genena, the provincial capital of West Darfur province, has witnessed some of the conflict’s most devastating battles, causing tens of thousands of residents to flee to Chad, a neighboring nation.

Residents and activists have reported the involvement of Arab militias, known as janjaweed, aligning with the RSF in the clashes taking place in Genena.

On a tragic note, West Darfur Governor Khamis Abdalla Abkar was abducted and killed on Wednesday, shortly after accusing the RSF and allied Arab militias of attacking Genena during a televised interview. The RSF denied responsibility for his assassination.

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More about Sudan airstrike

• Sudan officials say airstrike kills 17, including 5 children, in capital Khartoum
• Sudan’s ongoing conflict between military and paramilitary group
• Overview of the conflict in Sudan
• Displacement and humanitarian crisis in Sudan
• Background on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
• Conflict in Darfur, Sudan