All news

Sudan's paramilitary chief reports army air strikes on civilians, vows to ensure peace

According to Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, the ongoing fight is "the price of democracy"

CAIRO, April 17. /TASS/. Sudanese Rapid Support Forces Commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo has called on the world community to intervene in the situation in the country and take action against the army, which has launched air strikes, according to his statement posted on his Twitter page on Monday.

"The international community must take action now and intervene against the crimes of Sudanese General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, a radical Islamist who is bombing civilians from the air. His army is waging a brutal campaign against innocent people, bombing them with MiGs," the statement said.

"We are fighting against radical Islamists who hope to keep Sudan isolated and in the dark, and far removed from democracy," Hamdan pointed out, "We will continue to pursue Al-Burhan and bring him to justice."

According to the top military official, the ongoing fight is "the price of democracy." "We did not attack anyone. Our actions are merely a response to the siege and assault against our forces. We are fighting for the people of Sudan to ensure the democratic progress, for which they have so long yearned," he said.

He also vowed to take "every possible measure to ensure the safety and security of the people." "We will not allow any harm to come to them, and we will do everything within our power to protect democracy and uphold rule of law in Sudan. We will prevail and achieve peace and stability," he concluded.

Earlier on Monday, the Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera reported on heavy air strikes near Khartoum's official sites, where violent clashes between the conflicting sides have been taking place since morning.

The situation in Sudan escalated due to disagreements between SAF commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who also heads the Sovereign Council (the country’s governing body), and his deputy in the council, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the Rapid Support Forces chief. On the morning of April 15, clashes broke out between the two forces near a military base in Merowe and in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. According to the latest figures from the Sudan doctors’ union, some 100 civilians have been killed in the fighting, while the WHO reports more than a thousand casualties.