Khartoum: Health officials in Sudan have reported that at least 65 people were killed and over 130 others injured in fresh clashes between the Sudanese army and militias in the south and west of the country.
According to two medical sources, an artillery shell struck the Kordofan region in southern Sudan, killing at least 40 people and injuring 70 others.
Mohamed Ibrahim, the governor of the region, stated that the attack was carried out by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), a militia led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu.
The targeted city remains under the control of the Sudanese army, but the rebels are attempting to seize it. Ibrahim noted that the artillery shell hit a crowded marketplace, causing significant casualties.
The new militia group has engaged in multiple battles in southern Sudan, fighting not only against the Sudanese army but also against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over territorial control.
The deadly conflict in Sudan erupted on April 15, 2023, following months of political disputes over the integration of the RSF into the national army. The war pits Sudan's military ruler, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan "Hemedti" Dagalo, who leads the RSF.
Recent weeks have seen an intensification of the conflict. On Saturday, at least 56 people were killed in artillery and airstrikes on the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.
The RSF heavily relies on drones in combat, while the Sudanese army retains air superiority and has been using its air force against the paramilitary group.
The war has led to tens of thousands of deaths, with estimates suggesting that over 150,000 people have been killed since April 2023. Additionally, more than 12 million Sudanese have been displaced, with at least 2 million fleeing the country as refugees.
Parts of Sudan, particularly in the west and south, are experiencing severe food shortages, forcing families to survive on wild plants. The United Nations (UN) reports that around 26 million people—more than half of Sudan’s population—are facing acute food insecurity.
Efforts to broker peace have so far been unsuccessful. UN Special Envoy Ramtane Lamamra initiated negotiations in August 2024, but they have yet to produce any significant results.
Meanwhile, in western Sudan’s Darfur region, an airstrike by the army killed at least 25 people and wounded 63 others in an area controlled by the RSF. The paramilitary group accused the army of using barrel bombs in civilian areas, though the military has not commented on the allegations.
