Massive explosion rocks Khartoum amid ongoing infighting
3 Min Read
A massive explosion strikes Sudan's capital amidst ongoing clashes between the country's armed forces and the rapid support forces.
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Smoke rises over Khartoum, Sudan, June 7, 2023 (AP)
A colossal explosion shook Sudan's capital, Khartoum, on Saturday, sending shockwaves through the city.
Video footage captured the moment a massive fireball erupted, accompanied by thick black plumes of smoke that engulfed the skyline.
Local sources have indicated that the sound of explosions was heard near Khartoum International Airport, leaving residents and officials alarmed.
Initial reports suggest that the explosion emanated from the airport's jet fuel depot, causing widespread panic and concern.
This comes amid ongoing clashes between Sudan's armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) within the conflict-ridden city.
The atmosphere remains tense as the two opposing military factions exchange blows, further exacerbating the already dire situation in the North African Arab nation.
What began as a power struggle has quickly escalated into a humanitarian catastrophe. The situation is dire, with the war exacerbating existing challenges, including hunger, disease, and displacement.
The conflict erupted on April 15 between the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
Since hostilities broke out, around 5 million people have left Khartoum, the capital province of Sudan, said Siddiq Hassan Freini, the province's minister for social provision.
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Martin Griffiths, the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, stated, "The war in Sudan is fuelling a humanitarian emergency of epic proportions. This viral conflict – and the hunger, disease, and displacement left in its wake – now threatens to consume the entire country."
Violent clashes between the RSF and the Sudanese army started on April 15 and were centered around Khartoum. Since then, the parties to the conflict have enacted a number of brief, nationwide ceasefires, but none of them has yet contributed to a peaceful resolution.
The battle has claimed hundreds of lives according to the UN, and the Red Cross has warned that continued conflicts run the risk of destroying the nation's healthcare system.
Moreover, two-thirds of Sudan's health facilities in the main battlegrounds remained out of service, the World Health Organization said, with some bombed and others occupied by fighters.
The few hospitals that were still operating were also extremely low on medical supplies, struggling to obtain fuel to power generators, and understaffed.
In light of the many crises at hand, the UN said Friday that Sudan was facing an unprecedented crisis as a deadly combination of war and hunger threatens to plunge the nation into chaos.
The ongoing conflict between rival military factions could result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of malnourished children and the potential collapse of the entire country, the United Nations highlighted.
