Air strikes rained down on the outskirts of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, the night before last and Saturday, with the beginning of the sixth week of a conflict that plunged civilians into a humanitarian crisis and led to the displacement of more than a million people.

The fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has led to a breakdown in law and order, with rampant looting for which both sides blame each other. Stocks of food, cash and necessities are running low.

Witnesses spoke of air strikes in southern Omdurman and northern Bahri, two cities opposite Khartoum on the other bank of the Nile. Witnesses said that some of the strikes took place near the Radio and Television Broadcasting Authority in Omdurman.

Sanaa Hassan, 33, who lives in the Salha neighborhood of Omdurman, told Reuters by phone, “We were subjected to heavy artillery shelling in the Salha neighborhood in southern Omdurman at dawn today. The whole house was shaking. It was a terrifying thing. All family members were lying under the bed. What is happening?” nightmare”.

The Rapid Support Forces are stationed in residential neighborhoods, which exposes them to almost continuous air strikes from the army forces. Witnesses in Khartoum said the situation was relatively calm, although sporadic gunshots were heard.

The conflict that broke out on 15 April has led to nearly 1.1 million people being internally displaced or fleeing to neighboring countries. The World Health Organization said it caused at least 705 deaths and at least 5,287 injuries.

The talks sponsored by the United States and Saudi Arabia in Jeddah were not fruitful, and both sides in the conflict accused each other of violating several ceasefire agreements.

Ground fighting broke out again in the past few days in the cities of Nyala and Zalingei in Darfur state. The two parties to the conflict exchanged accusations in statements issued Friday regarding the outbreak of fighting in Nyala, one of the largest cities in the country where relative calm prevailed for weeks thanks to a locally mediated truce.

A local activist said that sporadic gunfights took place near the city’s main market, near the army headquarters, on Saturday morning. Activists said nearly 30 people had died in the previous two days of fighting.

The conflict in Khartoum erupted after disagreements over plans to integrate the RSF into the army and the future chain of command under an internationally backed deal for Sudan’s transition to democracy after decades of conflict-ridden authoritarian rule.

On Friday, the army commander, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, took a decision to dismiss the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Muhammad Hamdan Daglo, “Hamedti,” from the position of deputy head of the ruling Sovereignty Council that they lead.

Al-Burhan appointed Malik Agar, a former leader of an armed group, to replace Hemedti. Agar said in his first comment, a day after his appointment as deputy head of the Sovereignty Council, “Today I accepted the assignment to assume the position of deputy head of the Sovereignty Council. He is not a substitute for anyone, nor a bias towards any party other than Sudan, and the interest of its citizens first and foremost.”

Agar stated in a statement that he was “determined to work through this mandate to do everything in his power to reach a permanent ceasefire, and then work to stop the war in a sustainable manner.”

He added, “I will harness all my previous experiences and knowledge of the details of the conflict and disagreement between the forces currently fighting (referring to the army and the Rapid Support Forces), especially since I am in constant contact with both parties.”

And Agar added, “I will also work urgently with all our people and friends in the regional and international community to coordinate and mobilize support to stop the war in a just and lasting manner that guarantees peace and long-term stability in Sudan, and then work on reconstruction and reconstruction.”

“I will also work to alleviate the human suffering of our people who are stuck in war zones, stuck at crossings, the displaced and refugees, and work to restore basic services and provide humanitarian aid,” he added.

Aqar pointed out that “one of his priorities is that he will work for the success of the agricultural season and save our country from the threat of famine resulting from the failure of the season.” He emphasized work on “completing the path of civil and democratic transformation on the basis of ensuring the participation of all Sudanese without exclusion.”

Malik Agar is a member of the Sovereignty Council and head of the People’s Movement (North), and he assumed his position in the council within the Juba Peace Agreement signed in October 2020.

Late Friday, the US Agency for International Development announced more than $100 million in support for Sudan and countries receiving fleeing Sudanese, including much-needed food and medical aid.

“It is difficult to describe the scale of suffering that is happening now in Sudan,” said Samantha Power, the agency’s director. Several churches in Khartoum were looted, including the Archdiocese of the Virgin Mary in the city center, according to a church official. The official said that gunmen gave the bishop a week to vacate the diocese, after which they looted it and took it as their headquarters.

Church leaders said they were not sure whether the attacks were targeting churches specifically or if they were part of the general “chaos” plaguing Khartoum. Qatar said in a statement that its embassy had joined the list of embassies that had been looted.

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