Khartoum - On Saturday, an airstrike in western Omdurman, Sudan, resulted in the tragic death of at least 22 people and left several others injured, according to the Khartoum state health ministry. The attack occurred as fighting between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) entered its 12th week.
The airstrike, which targeted the Dar es Salaam district of Omdurman, is reported to be one of the deadliest since the conflict began in mid-April. Last month, another airstrike in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum claimed the lives of at least 17 people, including five children.
The RSF has accused the Sudanese army of conducting the airstrike on Saturday, as well as other attacks on residential areas in Omdurman. The health ministry of Khartoum state confirmed the death toll of at least 22, while the RSF claimed it stood at 31. However, neither party provided information about the number of injured individuals.
In their statement, the RSF mentioned significant destruction to homes resulting from the airstrike. It is worth noting that the paramilitary group quickly took control of Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri since the conflict began on April 15. The army has since launched air and artillery strikes, as reported by Reuters. The news agency also mentioned overnight strikes on Friday, focusing on the country's state broadcasting complex in eastern Omdurman.
The health ministry released a video allegedly showing the aftermath of the airstrike, depicting lifeless bodies on the ground, covered with sheets, while people attempted to rescue individuals from the rubble, as reported by the Associated Press. Eyewitnesses cited by the BBC reported that women and children were among the victims.
The situation in Sudan remains dire, with ongoing conflict between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sudanese army, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, chief of the RSF. According to the federal health ministry, the fighting has claimed the lives of at least 1,133 people, with violence escalating in the capital and regions like Kordofan and Darfur, as well as ethnic clashes in West Darfur state.
In recent reports, Sudan's Health Minister Haitham Mohammed Ibrahim stated that the clashes have resulted in over 3,000 deaths and more than 6,000 injuries. Additionally, the United Nations estimates that over 2.9 million people have been displaced within Sudan or sought refuge in neighboring countries.
The airstrike incident on Saturday occurred one day after international aid organization Save the Children released a statement highlighting alarming levels of sexual assault and rape perpetrated against teenage girls by armed combatants. Last week, United Nations agencies issued a joint statement noting an increase in reports of gender-based violence throughout the country.