Khartoum: Sudan’s war between the army and a paramilitary force entered its third day today, with Sudanese in the country’s capital and other cities running frantically for their homes and battling densely populated areas with machine guns, tanks and airstrikes. The number of civilians killed in the fighting between the two groups reached 97 on Monday.
- The actual death toll is feared to be much higher as many bodies are lying on the roads
- The death toll of soldiers in this battle between army and paramilitary forces has not been announced
The civilians have been killed in crossfire and shelling between the two warring factions, and an official from the Sudan Doctors Syndicate, a doctors’ organization, said the toll could be much higher as many bodies litter the streets and fighting continues. No one can reach to take those dead bodies. And there is no official figure about how many of the fighting soldiers have died.
Awadeya Mahmood Koko, a woman who is president of the tea vendors’ union, said there was gunfire and shelling on all sides. Three people were killed when a shell fell on a house. Neighbors could not even take him to the hospital on time and then could not take him for burial. A student posted an online video saying that 88 students and staff have been trapped in Khartoum University’s library since the fighting broke out. Thus, Sudan is not new to violent battles, there have been many incidents in the past, but this time such a battle is unprecedented for it as well, in which the army and paramilitary forces are fighting each other.