Port Sudan: Escalating violence between the Sudanese army and paramilitary forces has left at least 65 dead and over 130 injured, medics confirmed on Monday. The brutal conflict, which began in April 2023, shows no signs of slowing as heavy fighting rages on in both South and West Sudan.
In South Kordofan, artillery shelling hit the state capital, Kadugli, killing at least 40 people and injuring 70. According to medical sources, the attack targeted a local market in the city, which is controlled by the Sudanese army. Governor Mohamed Ibrahim accused the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, of carrying out the attack in an attempt to destabilise the region. He vowed to "clear the mountains around Kadugli" of rebel forces. The SPLM-N has previously clashed with both the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in South Kordofan.
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In the western region of Darfur, military air strikes hit the capital of South Darfur, Nyala, killing 25 and wounding 63. The strike targeted the Cinema District, an area under RSF control. The RSF blamed the army for using "barrel bombs" against civilians in several neighbourhoods of Nyala. The RSF controls much of Darfur, including Nyala, while the army retains control of El-Fasher, North Darfur’s besieged capital.
Ongoing displacement in North Darfur
The war has displaced more than 600,000 people in North Darfur alone, according to the International Organisation for Migration. From April 2024 to January 2025, over 95 incidents of violence were reported in the region, many in El-Fasher. These incidents displaced an estimated 605,257 people, with more than half of the displacement occurring in El-Fasher.
In Khartoum, the army has made advances against the RSF, breaking a siege of its headquarters and the Signal Corps in Khartoum North. On Saturday, at least 60 people were killed and over 150 injured when the RSF shelled a busy market in army-controlled Omdurman. In the capital itself, an air strike on an RSF-controlled area left two civilians dead and dozens more wounded.
Targeting of civilians, international concern
Both sides have been repeatedly accused of targeting civilians and indiscriminately shelling residential areas. The ongoing violence has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced more than 12 million people, and destroyed Sudan’s already fragile infrastructure, leaving most health facilities out of service.
The UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, voiced concern over reports of summary executions of civilians in Khartoum North, allegedly carried out by army fighters and allied militias. Many victims are reportedly from Darfur or Kordofan. Dujarric called for an immediate halt to the fighting and urged all parties to work towards lasting peace, noting that Sudanese civilians, including women and children, are paying the price for the ongoing conflict.
Agency
Published: 04 Feb 2025, 06:33 am IST
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