Nairobi — Kenya’s President William Ruto has expressed deep concern over the escalating crisis in Sudan, where more than 60 civilians have been killed in fighting between the army and paramilitaries. He urged Sudan’s leadership and all concerned parties to pursue dialogue instead of violence. “I implore all parties to address any differences through peaceful means for the sake of the security of the people of Sudan and stability in the country and the region, especially during this holy month of Ramadan,” Ruto said in a statement as the fighting left over 600 people wounded.
On Saturday, the Sudanese capital Khartoum awoke to heavy gunfire, soon confirmed as clashes between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Both sides have accused each other of initiating the conflict. Ruto warned that the outbreak of violence will reverse the gains Sudan has made toward lasting peace and prosperity. Video clips posted on social media showed the Sudanese Army targeting the RSF headquarters with warplanes, while RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo denied that his forces’ headquarters had been destroyed.
The military conflict stems from long‑standing tension between the two forces, particularly over the RSF’s integration into the army as stipulated in a framework agreement signed by military and civilian leaders on 5 December 2022. The situation escalated on Wednesday in the Merowe region of northern Sudan after the RSF moved military vehicles near a military air base, a move the army deemed illegal. Ruto added, “Kenya and the IGAD states are available and ready to contribute to the resolution of this crisis. I am consulting with regional leadership and other relevant international partners to seek ways to support dialogue and mediation.”
Footage showed heavy smoke billowing from a building near the army headquarters in Khartoum, with the military reporting that a structure had “caught fire” amid the clashes but that the fire had been contained. The RSF, created in 2013, emerged from the Janjaweed militia that former President Omar al‑Bashir deployed against non‑Arab ethnic minorities in Darfur a decade earlier, drawing accusations of war crimes. The planned integration of the RSF into the regular army was a key element of talks aimed at returning the country to civilian rule and ending the political‑economic crisis sparked by the military’s 2021 coup.
The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors reported that the total number of civilian deaths had reached 56, with “tens of deaths” among security forces and around 600 wounded. Medics on social media continued to plead for safe corridors for ambulances and a ceasefire to treat victims, warning that the streets were too dangerous to bring many casualties to hospitals. On Sunday, the stench of gunpowder lingered in Khartoum’s deserted streets, occupied only by soldiers while frightened civilians sheltered at home. “We had a very difficult night, and we couldn’t sleep well because of the sound of the explosions and gunfire,” said Ahmed Seif, who lives in east Khartoum with his family of five. He feared his building had been hit by gunfire but said it was still too dangerous to go outside to check. “The situation is very worrying and it doesn’t seem like it will calm anytime soon,” he added.
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