Battle In Sudan Continues For The Third Day, Death Toll Soars To 185

Sudanese in the capital Khartoum and other towns gathered in their houses for a third day on Monday, Apr. 17, while explosions and gunfire thundered outside as the army and a potent opposition group fought in the streets for control of the country.

Since the conflict started, at least 185 people have died and more than 1,800 have been injured, according to U.N. envoy Volker Perthes. In heavily populated regions, the two sides are utilizing tanks, artillery, and other heavy weapons.

As night fell, fighter jets soared overhead, and anti-aircraft fire lit up the skies.

The death toll may be substantially higher due to the fact that there are numerous dead in the streets surrounding central Khartoum that are inaccessible due to the fighting.

No official statement has been made regarding the number of civilian or combatant deaths.

Earlier, a group of medics estimated that 97 civilians had died, AP News reported.

Millions of people were confined to their homes or wherever they could find cover as a result of the sudden outbreak of fighting over the weekend between the two senior generals of the country, both supported by tens of thousands of heavily armed fighters.

Supplies were running low, and numerous hospitals were forced to close.

The U.N. Security Council was scheduled to examine the crisis as top diplomats from four continents raced to arrange a ceasefire.

The power struggle pits Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the commander of the armed forces, against Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Under international pressure, Burhan and Dagalo had recently agreed to a framework agreement with political parties and pro-democracy groups, but the signing was repeatedly delayed as tensions rose over the integration of the RSF into the armed forces and the future chain of command.

As a first step toward a longer truce, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanded an immediate 24-hour ceasefire.

Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, the president of Egypt, stated late on Monday that Cairo was in "constant contact" with both the army and the RSF, pleading with them to put an end to the fighting and resume talks.

But so far, each general has stayed put and demanded the other's capitulation.

Heavy gunfights broke out in several locations throughout the capital and Omdurman, where the two sides had tens of thousands of soldiers stationed in almost every neighborhood.

The main bases of each side and important government buildings, all of which are in civilian neighborhoods, have seen particularly intense fighting.

Sudan sparked hope only four years ago after a populist revolt assisted in the overthrow of longtime dictatorial leader Omar al-Bashir.

However, the subsequent unrest, particularly the coup of 2021, undermined the democratic movement and destroyed the economy.

The third-largest country in Africa, which is resource-rich and home to about 16 million people, currently depends on humanitarian aid for a third of its population.