At least 20 civilians, including two children, have been killed in an air strike by the Sudanese Armed Forces in southern Khartoum, a local resistance committee said on Sunday.
The committee, which represents the neighborhood of Al-Kalakla, said the attack took place on Saturday and targeted a residential area. It said many of the victims were women and elderly people, and that some bodies may still be under the rubble.
The committee condemned the “barbaric” attack and called on the international community to intervene to stop the “genocide” in Sudan.
The air strike is part of a wider conflict that has been raging in Sudan since April, when a power struggle erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that was formerly allied with the military.
The RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemeti, has accused the military of trying to sideline him and his forces from the transitional government that was formed after the ouster of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
The military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has accused the RSF of trying to seize power by force and destabilize the country.
The two sides have clashed repeatedly in different parts of Sudan, especially in Darfur, where the RSF originated as a militia that fought against rebel groups. The RSF has also been accused of committing atrocities against civilians in Darfur and other regions.
The conflict has displaced millions of people and left thousands dead, including many civilians who have been caught in the crossfire or targeted by air strikes and ground attacks.
According to the United Nations, more than half of Sudan’s population of 45 million need humanitarian aid, and six million people are on the brink of famine. The UN has also warned of a potential outbreak of diseases such as cholera and malaria due to poor sanitation and lack of access to clean water.
In the midst of this chaos, resistance committees have emerged as grassroots organizations that provide assistance to survivors and document human rights violations committed by all parties. The committees have also organized protests and civil disobedience campaigns to demand an end to the violence and a return to civilian rule.
The resistance committee of Al-Kalakla issued a statement on Sunday calling on the international community to take immediate action to:
- Demand an end to all aerial bombardments and other indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Sudan
- Provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the millions of people who have been displaced by the conflict
- Support the resistance committees and other civil society groups that are working to protect civilians and document atrocities
- Hold all parties to the conflict accountable for their actions
The statement said that the people of Sudan deserve peace and security, and that they will not give up their struggle for freedom and democracy.
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