Sudan death toll nears 100 as clashes continue

Khartoum [Sudan], April 17 : The death toll from fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has risen to 97, according to The Washington Post citing the Sudanese Doctors Union.

As of early Monday, 97 civilians had been killed and nearly 600 had been injured in the violence.

The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors said Monday morning that stray artillery struck a hospital in the southern part of the capital, creating "a state of terror and pc," but that patients and staff were unharmed.

Eyewitnesses in the capital city of Khartoum told CNN that fighting intensified after Sunday morning prayers, with loud noises and explosions heard throughout the night. There have also been reports of battles hundreds of miles away in the eastern city of Port Sudan.

The armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been competing for power as political factions negotiate on forming a transitional government after a 2021 military coup. The tensions stem from a disagreement between the military, headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, about how the paramilitary force should be integrated into the armed forces and what authority should oversee that process, according to Al Jazeera.

The military, 18 months after its coup, had promised to cede control to a civilian-led government this month. Yet, the process has been dominated by a rivalry between General al-Burhan and General Hamdan, also known as Hemeti.

The two generals have been openly criticising one another in speeches over the past few months, and they have dispatched reinforcements and armoured vehicles to oppose military camps spread around the city.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, three United Nations World Food Programme staff died. Following the death of three staff in the clash, the UN agency has temporarily halted all operations.

In a statement, Executive Director of the UN agency Cindy McCain, on Sunday, said that all the operations in Sudan have been suspended, pending a review of the evolving security situation.

"WFP is committed to assisting the Sudanese people facing dire food insecurity," said McCain, adding, "but we cannot do our lifesaving work if the safety and security of our teams and partners are not guaranteed. All parties must come to an agreement that ensures the safety of humtarian workers on the ground and enables the continued delivery of life-saving humtarian assistance to the people of Sudan. They remain our top priority."