Sudanese volunteer rescuers reported that shelling in the greater Khartoum area has resulted in the deaths of at least 120 people. This violence is part of an escalation of fighting between the army and paramilitary forces that has affected the nation.
On Monday, “random shelling” occurred in western Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum situated just across the Nile River. The Ombada Emergency Response Room, a network of volunteer rescuers, provided the death toll but did not specify who was responsible for the shelling. Healthcare workers are facing critical shortages of medical supplies as they struggle to treat a significant number of wounded individuals suffering from various injuries resulting from the attack.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in conflict due to the rivalry between two generals vying for control of the nation. The army predominantly controls most of Omdurman, while the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) hold parts of Khartoum North and other areas within the capital. Residents from both sides of the Nile frequently report shelling that results in civilian casualties and damage to homes.
Humanitarian conditions are dire; on Sunday, rescuers in Omdurman’s Ombada locality reported that over 70 deaths from August to December have been tied to severe malnutrition, malaria, and diarrhea.
The reported shelling in Omdurman coincided with an intensification of fighting between the army and RSF, now well into their conflict lasting more than 20 months. Moreover, Port Sudan, the seat of the army-aligned government, experienced a power outage following a drone attack attributed to the RSF, which struck a major hydroelectric dam in the north. This drone strike came after the army regained control of Wad Madani, the capital of the central state of Al-Jazira, which had been under paramilitary influence for over a year.
The impact of the war has severely damaged Sudan’s fragile infrastructure, resulting in tens of thousands of fatalities and displacing over 12 million people, pushing many Sudanese towards famine. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Friday that approximately 3.2 million children under five are predicted to face acute malnutrition this year, with around 772,000 expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition.
Additionally, famine has been reported in five regions across Sudan, according to a recent assessment by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The IPC indicated that over 24.6 million people, nearly half of the Sudanese population, are experiencing “high levels of acute food insecurity,” underscoring the urgent need for a ceasefire to prevent further famine.