Khartoum a 'city of ghosts' as fighting rages

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.

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