Sudan turmoil live: 39 hospitals bombed out of service

Sudan's deadly power struggle centres around two men: army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemeti.

Just 18 months ago, Hemeti lent his support to Burhan, as the latter carried out a military coup against the then transitional military-civilian government. 

But the uneasy alliance between the two has well and truly ended: Hemeti went live on television on Saturday to state that Burhan would be brought to justice or "die like a dog". 

Hemeti had no formal education, but went on to become leader of one of the largest Janjaweed militias involved in a government campaign in Darfur that killed hundreds of thousands. 

His paramilitary groups, which later morphed into the RSF, acted as de-facto bodyguards to former autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

In June 2019, Hemeti's RSF was the primary culprit when authorities killed over 100 people at a sit-in protest. 

Who is Hemeti, and how did he go from loyalist warlord to being labelled a "rebel commander" attempting to seize control of Sudan’s airports and presidential palace?

Read more: Who is Hemeti? The feared former warlord vying for control in Sudan

A US diplomatic convoy came under fire in an apparent Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attack, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday. 

"I can confirm that yesterday we had an American diplomatic convoy that was fired on," Blinken said during a press conference in the Japanese resort town of Karuizawa, where G7 foreign ministers had gathered.

"I made very clear that any attacks threats, dangerous posed to our diplomats were totally unacceptable."

He described the incident as "reckless" and "irresponsible", adding that the people in the convoy were safe. 

"We have deep concerns of course about the overall security environment as it affects civilians, as it affects diplomats, as it affects aid workers," Blinken said.

Good morning MEE readers. 

Deadly confrontations in Sudan have now entered a fourth day, as a power struggle between rival forces continues to explode into violence despite international calls for a ceasefire. 

At least 185 people have been killed and another 1,800 wounded, according to the head of the UN mission to Sudan. 

G7 foreign ministers put out a joint statement on Tuesday morning during a meeting in Japan, urging warring parties to "end hostilities immediately without pre-conditions". 

They said that the fighting "threatens the security and safety of Sudanese civilians and undermines efforts to restore Sudan's democratic transition".

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had spoken to both warring leaders: army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, known as Hemeti, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Blinken confirmed overnight that a US diplomatic convoy had been fired upon on Monday, describing it as a "reckless act". Those inside were unharmed. 

Separately on Monday evening, the EU's ambassador to Sudan was attacked in his home in Khartoum.

Fighting continues into a fourth day despite mediation efforts by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates to get both sides to agree a ceasefire. 

Follow MEE across our social channels for the latest updates, videos and analysis throughout the day.

Three days of intense fighting in Khartoum have taken their toll, with buildings and infrastructure damaged, food and fuel supplies running short, and terrified residents hiding in basements as explosions, gunfire and air strikes continue to shake the Sudanese capital.

The battle for control between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) was still ongoing on Monday evening, with at least 97 civilians and potentially dozens of fighters killed and about 1,000 injured nationwide, according to the Central Committee of the Sudanese Doctors (CCSD).

A total of at least 185 people have been killed, while 1,800 people have been wounded, according to the UN envoy for Sudan.

One doctor told MEE they were facing "big troubles" in the hospitals because of shortages.

"The lack of electricity is also hindering our work," the doctor said.

An eyewitness from the central Alamarat district described Khartoum as a “city of ghosts”,referring to the darkness, the empty streets and some reports of robberies overnight.

The violence, which exploded in Sudan over the weekend, stems from disagreements surrounding the integration of the RSF - one of the most powerful forces in the country - into the regular military.

The RSF's leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemeti, had previously aided the military leader and de facto ruler, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, in a successful coup in October 2021. But their uneasy alliance has now thoroughly broken down.

To read the full story by Mohamed Amin in Khartoum, click here.

MEE is going to pause its coverage for now, but will pick back up soon with more updates. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for the latest news.

Khartoum a 'city of ghosts' as fighting rages and buildings burn across Sudan

The European Union's ambassador to Sudan was assaulted in his own residency on Monday, according to the bloc's foreign policy chief, Josep Borell.

"This constitutes a gross violation of the Vienna Convention. Security of diplomatic premises and staff is a primary responsibility of Sudanese authorities and an obligation under international law," Borrell said in a tweet without giving further detail.

At least 185 people have been killed and another 1,800 people have been wounded in three days of fighting between rival factions in Sudan, according to the UN special representative to the country.

Volker Perthes added that the situation is currently "very fluid" and that the fighting is making aid deliveries impossible. Three employees of the UN's World Food Programme in Sudan's Darfur region were among those killed.

The United Nations' envoy to Sudan has said that under the current conditions in the country, no aid deliveries are possible, but the UN will continue working on achieving humanitarian pauses in the fighting.

He said if the UN is able to achieve those pauses, it will further work on establishing a ceasefire, but noted that none of the parties seemed interested in halting the fighting just yet.

The envoy added that while he cannot assess who has the upper hand in the fighting, the leaders of the warring parties have been reacting “positively” to his phone calls.

The US government on Monday called for an immediate ceasefire to fighting in Sudan and said American officials were in touch with the military leaders.

"We deplore the escalating violence out of Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan," said a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council.

"We call for an immediate ceasefire without conditions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)."

Sudan’s military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan accused the RSF of leading an “attempted coup and rebellion against the state” in an interview with CNN. Burhan told the news network his former ally, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, had “mutinied” against the state, and if captured, would be tried in a court of law.

Burhan also told CNN that the RSF’s leader had violated an agreed ceasefire.

An RSF spokesperson said the group was trying to abide by the ceasefire, but the army “keep[s] firing which leaves no choice” but for the RSF to “defend itself by firing back”.

Dagalo also spoke to CNN and blamed the military for starting the conflict, saying the RSF “had to keep fighting to defend ourselves”.

He claimed that Burhan had lost control of the military, and when asked if he planned to rule Sudan, Dagalo said he had “no such intentions” and that there should be a civilian government.

Fears of a possible civil war in Sudan intensify as fighting continues between the army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group. 

But who is the RSF, and how did it become Sudan's most powerful paramilitary group?

Read more: Who are the RSF, Sudan’s powerful paramilitary force?

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the outbreak of fighting in Sudan and called on leaders of the warring sides to cease hostilities and begin a dialogue to resolve the crisis. 

"I urge all those with influence over the situation to use it in the cause of peace; to support efforts to end the violence, restore order, and return to the path of transition," he said.

"The humanitarian situation in Sudan was already precarious and is now catastrophic."

Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al Burhan said he was open to negotiations and vowed to defeat the Rapid Support Forces as fighting continues in Khartoum.

“Every war ends at the negotiation table even if the opponent is defeated,” Burhan told Sky News.

“Even if there is surrender, there is still negotiation.”

Hospitals and patients are increasingly bearing the brunt of fighting between the army and paramilitaries, Sudan's Doctors Union warned in a statement on Facebook. 

According to the union, severe damage has been confirmed in several major hospitals in the country.

"We have repeatedly appealed to the parties involved in the conflict not to attack health facilities and keep them safe, but what happened was exactly the opposite," it said.

"Hospitals and health institutions in Khartoum and cities all over Sudan are being hit with heavy artillery and firearms."

The union raised the alarm after two major hospitals in the capital, al-Shaab Teaching Hospital and Khartoum Teaching Hospital, were put completely out of service.

The attacks have left "medical staff, patients, children, and companions in an unsafe environment and in a state of confusion and fear," said the statement.

Journalists in Egypt are reporting that Egyptian authorities have unblocked the BBC and Al Arabiya news channels after both websites covered the capture of Egyptian troops in Sudan.

Late on Saturday, Egypt confirmed that the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group had captured Egyptian troops in Sudan.

The RSF said it would cooperate with Egyptian authorities to return the soldiers who had "surrendered" themselves upon capture. Cairo did not explain why Egyptian troops were in Sudan.

The conflict that has broken out between the Sudanese Armed forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, aka Hemeti, over the weekend is arguably unprecedented in post-independence Sudanese history.

Historically, the pattern of conflict in Sudan has involved a predatory and kleptocratic security elite exploiting the resources of the country’s marginalised peripheries, including Darfur, South Kordofan and the now independent nation of South Sudan.

The short-term roots of Hemeti's rupture with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan can be traced back to the October 2021 coup, which forcibly removed the civilians who had been uneasily sharing power with the army and RSF in the post-revolutionary transitional government.

In this opinion piece, Sudan expert Willow Berridge explore the worrying scenarios that could unfold:

Read more: Is Sudan heading for all-out war?