Sudan paramilitary group says it has seized presidential palace and Khartoum airport amid clashes with army – live

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Egypt has expressed grave concern over ongoing clashes in Sudan and called on all parties to exercise restraint, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

What we know so far

Zeinab Mohammed Salih

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudan armed forces (SAF) have been exchanging fire since 9am on Saturday. At least three civilians have been killed, according the Sudan Doctors’ Committee.

The clashes came over a dispute on the timing to integrate the RSF into the SAF as part of a power-sharing deal with the civilians who led protests against the former president Omar al-Bashir in 2019.

They had a two-year power-sharing deal with the army before being interrupted by a military coup in October 2021. The Sudanese people resisted and protests took place across the country. More than 100 people have been killed since then.

Saturday’s clashes spread across the country in north, west and south Darfur, where the RSF has a strong presence.

The RSF was founded by a law introduced in 2013 by Bashir and had been used to fight as the “janjaweed” militas in Darfur.

The RSF claims it has captured the Merowe airport and other strategic locations.

Media reports are saying that 45 solders from the army were injured at the battle of Merowe airport on Saturday morning.

The Sudanese army chief, Gen Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, has told Al Jazeera in an interview that the army is in control of the presidential palace, the military headquarters and the airport.

The United Arab Emirates has called on all parties in Sudan to exercise restraint, de-escalate the fighting and work towards ending the crisis through dialogue, the state news agency reported.

The agency said the UAE embassy in Khartoum was following “with great concern the developments in Sudan and has reaffirmed the UAE’s position on the importance of de-escalation, and working towards finding a peaceful solution to the crisis between the concerned parties”.

Zeinab Mohammed Salih

At least three civilians have died in clashes between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, a Sudanese doctors’ group has said.

Heavy gunfire was heard in the capital Khartoum, on Saturday as fighting erupted between the Sudanese army and the RSF following days of tensions between the two forces.

The RSF claimed it had gained control of Khartoum international airport, Merowe airport, al-Obeid airport and the presidential palace, after an attack on its military base in south Khartoum at about 9am on Saturday.

Read more from Zeinab Mohammed Salih reporting from Khartoum:

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said he is “deeply concerned” about reports of escalating violence between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

“We are in touch with the embassy team in Khartoum – all are currently accounted for. We urge all actors to stop the violence immediately and avoid further escalations or troop mobilizations and continue talks to resolve outstanding issues,” he wrote on Twitter.

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 it had taken control of the presidential palace, the residence of the army chief and Khartoum international airport, following days of tensions between the army and the RSF.

Who are the Rapid Support Forces and how did we get here?

The RSF is commanded by Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who currently holds the position of deputy head of Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council, and is commonly known as Hemedti. Analysts estimate the force numbers about 100,000, with bases and deployments across the country.

It evolved from “janjaweed” militias that fought in a conflict in the 2000s in the Darfur region, where they were used by the government of long-ruling President Omar al-Bashir to help the army put down a rebellion. An estimated 2.5 million people were displaced and 300,000 killed in the conflict. International criminal court prosecutors accused government officials and janjaweed commanders of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Over time the forces grew, and were used as border guards in particular to clamp down on irregular migration. In tandem, Hemedti’s business interests grew with help from Bashir, and his family expanded holdings in gold mining, livestock and infrastructure.

Beginning in 2015, the RSF, along with Sudan’s army, began sending troops to fight in the war in Yemen alongside Saudi and Emirati troops, allowing Hemedti to forge ties with the Gulf powers.

In 2017, a law legitimising the RSF as an independent security force was passed. Military sources said the army’s leadership had long expressed concerns about the development of Hemedti’s forces.

In April 2019, the RSF participated in a military coup that ousted Bashir. Later that year Hemedti signed a power-sharing agreement that made him deputy of a ruling council headed by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Before the signing in 2019, activists accused the RSF of participating in killing dozens of pro-democracy protesters. Rights groups have also accused RSF soldiers of tribal violence. Hemedti removed immunity from some, allowing for their prosecution. Last year he apologised for crimes by the state against the Sudanese people.

The RSF participated in a coup in October 2021 that halted the transition to elections. Hemedti has since said he regrets the coup and has expressed approval for a new deal to restore full civilian government.

The Sudanese army as well as pro-democracy groups have demanded the RSF’s integration into the regular armed forces.

Negotiations on this have been a source of tension that has delayed a final signing of a deal, originally scheduled for 1 April, for a new government and a transition towards elections.

At least three killed and dozens injured, says doctors' group

So far, at least three people have been killed and dozens more injured in the clashes between the country’s army and powerful paramilitary, according to a doctors’ group in the country.

The fighting comes after months of escalating tensions between the generals, and years of political unrest after an October 2021 military coup.

In a statement reported by Reuters, the Sudan Doctors’ Committee said two civilians were killed at the country’s airport and another man was shot dead in the state of North Kordofan.

The statement did not specify how the two people had died at the airport, which was a flashpoint in the violence, with the two forces battling to control it.

The group said dozens more were injured around the country, with some in an unstable condition.

The clashes began on Saturday morning, with both sides blaming the other for initiating the violence.

Russia’s foreign ministry has said it is deeply concerned by escalating violence and called for an urgent ceasefire.

We urge the parties to the conflict to demonstrate political will and restraint and to take immediate steps towards a ceasefire.

Russia said its embassy in Khartoum was continuing to function under heightened security measures. No Russian citizens were hurt during clashes, it added.

Reuters reports that the spokesman for the Sudanese armed forces has told Al Jazeera Mubasher TV station that the army would respond to any “irresponsible” actions, as its forces clash with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in several parts of Khartoum and the country.

Brig Gen Nabil Abdallah said some politicians had been trying to politicise the military.

He also said that RSF troops had a heavy presence at the headquarters of the state TV station.