Heavy gunfire amid military clash causes panic in capital of Sudan

Heavy gunfire was heard in the capital of Sudan, Khartoum, on Saturday as clashes erupted between the Sudanese army and its paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The RSF said the army had surrounded one of its bases and opened fire with heavy weapons, witnesses told Reuters.

The gunfire follows days of tension between the army and the powerful RSF, which had raised concerns about a confrontation.

A Reuters witness said they saw armoured vehicles deployed in streets, and heard the sound of heavy weaponry in the vicinity of the headquarters of the army and the RSF.

The source of the gunfire could not be immediately confirmed by Reuters. People could be seen running in panic through the capital.

The rift between the forces came to the surface on Thursday, when the army said recent movements by the RSF had been made without coordination and were illegal.

A statement by the RSF on Saturday called the army’s actions a “brute assault” and called for it to be condemned. It said the RSF had been in contact with local and international mediators to inform them.

A confrontation between the two forces could bring prolonged strife across a vast country already dealing with economic breakdown and flare-ups of tribal violence.

More details soon …