UN World Food Programme halts Sudan operations as fighting continues

Violence has been reported across Sudan for a second day as fighting continued in the capital and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said it was temporarily halting all operations in the country after the deaths of three employees in the Darfur region.

It followed a day of deadly battles between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that left at least 56 people dead and nearly 600 wounded in Khartoum. Sudan’s army launched airstrikes on a rival paramilitary force’s base near the capital in an effort to reassert control over the chaotic country.

Fighting in Darfur region

Fighting has also erupted in the troubled western Darfur region and in the eastern border state of Kassala. The WFP said its employees were killed in clashes in Kabkabiya in north Darfur that left a further two injured.

“While we review the evolving security situation، we are forced to temporarily halt all operations in Sudan،” the WFP executive director، Cindy McCain، said. “WFP is committed to assisting the Sudanese people facing dire food insecurity، but we cannot do our lifesaving work if the safety and security of our teams and partners is not guaranteed.”

McCain also said it was difficult for WFP’s staff to operate after a UN Humanitarian Air Service aircraft was “significantly damaged” at Sudan’s Khartoum airport during an exchange of fire on Saturday.

Residents of the capital in the early hours of Sunday reported hearing gunfire and explosions from heavy artillery. Al Arabiya television broadcast footage showing thick plumes of smoke rising over some districts in Khartoum.

Internet services in Sudan were briefly blocked on the orders of the government telecommunications regulator، two officials from the company told Reuters on Sunday.

Control of the presidential palace

The RSF paramilitaries have claimed control of the presidential palace، Khartoum airport and other vital facilities. The army denied the claims and late on Saturday the Sudanese air force launched airstrikes on an RSF base in the city of Omdurman، which adjoins Khartoum.

Huda، a young resident in southern Khartoum، told Reuters: “We’re scared، we haven’t slept for 24 hours because of the noise and the house shaking. We’re worried about running out of water and food، and medicine for my diabetic father.

“There’s so much false information and everyone is lying. We don’t know when this will end، how it will end.”

The violence erupted after weeks of deepening tensions over the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army that was a key element of talks to return the country to civilian rule and end the political-economic crisis sparked by a military coup in 2021.

The long-feared violent crisis between the two main factions of the ruling military regime threatens to destabilise not just Sudan but much of the region، as well as exacerbating a battle for influence that involves major Gulf powers، as well as the US، EU and Russia.

The Sudanese armed forces are broadly loyal to Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan، the de facto ruler of Sudan، while the RSF – a collection of militia – follow the controversial former warlord Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo، known as Hemedti.

The army said in a statement on Sunday that “the hour of victory is near”.

Good news soon

“We pray for mercy for the innocent lives taken by this reckless adventure taken by the rebel Rapid Support militia … We will have good news for our patient and proud people soon، God willing،” the statement said.

International powers – the US، China، Russia، Egypt، Saudi Arabia، the UN، EU and African Union – have appealed for an immediate end to the hostilities.

Efforts by neighbours and regional bodies to end the violence intensified on Sunday. That included an offer by Egypt and South Sudan to mediate between the fighting parties، according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency.

On Sunday، a US state department spokesperson said the secretary، Antony Blinken، had been engaging with countries with influence in Sudan to the halt the fighting.

“It does appear that there had been significant weaponry involved in some of these attacks،” the official said.

“There’s a lot of war propaganda and misinformation on both sides … but a lot of countries in the region see this in terms of an endgame military with Sudanese armed forces outgunning the RSF،” said Kholood Khair، an analyst in Khartoum. “Hemedti may also have overestimated his popular support. People in Sudan want to see democracy but don’t believe that either of these actors are going to bring it.”

The Sudanese people

Yassir al-Awad، a father of four daughters and a resident of Khartoum، told the Observer that the city was witnessing a “power struggle between military leaders”.

“The Sudanese people should not take part but sadly we have been dragged into it، as Sudanese people we do not have any interest in this. Whichever one wins، we are the losers at the end،” he said.

In an interview with UAE-based Sky News Arabia، Hemedti said: “Burhan the criminal must surrender.”

He denied the RSF had started the fight، after Burhan said in an earlier statement that he “was surprised by RSF attacking his home at 9am”.

The army، on its Facebook page، declared Hemedti a “wanted criminal” and the RSF a “rebel militia”، saying there would “be no negotiations or talks until the dissolution” of the group.