Deadly airstrike hits Khartoum market amid renewed clashes
September 10, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese army has denied responsibility for an airstrike in Sunday that struck a market located to the south of Khartoum, resulting in the deaths of numerous civilians, as reported by activists. Concurrently, violent confrontations between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have resurged within the capital city.
The Sudan Doctors Syndicate and the South Belt Emergency Committee have reported that 46 civilians lost their lives and many others sustained injuries due to an airstrike carried out by the Sudanese Army Air Force on Goro Market, situated in the Mayo suburb to the south of Khartoum.
On the other hand, the RSF issued a statement attributing the bombing to the army, reporting the deaths of 23 civilians and injuries to numerous others, based on preliminary figures.
Goro Market stands as one of the principal popular markets in the southern belt areas of Khartoum. It is known for hosting substantial deployments of RSF troops and serves as a marketplace for goods frequently pilfered from the neighbourhoods in eastern Khartoum.
In response, the army’s spokesperson released a statement asserting, “The rebel militia’s media, as is their custom, disseminated misleading and false claims implying that the armed forces intentionally struck civilians in the Mayo region.”
The spokesperson emphasized that the army’s airstrikes are directed solely at rebel gatherings, locations, and bases recognized as legitimate military targets, in strict accordance with international humanitarian laws and rules of engagement including protection of civilians and their properties.
The Sudanese army has accused the RSF of seeking refuge within residential neighbourhoods as a means of shielding its personnel from attacks. They have urged the RSF to evacuate Khartoum as a condition to halt the ongoing conflict.
These developments come in the wake of renewed violent clashes on a Sunday morning between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, involving both heavy and light weaponry, in the southern areas of Khartoum. Notably, neither side has achieved a decisive victory.
According to eyewitness accounts, the neighbourhoods of Jabra, Al-Shajara, Mayo, and Al-Azhari, to the south of Khartoum, were affected by the clashes, which included the use of heavy artillery and warplanes.
Furthermore, Emergency Lawyers have vehemently condemned what they describe as “inhumane actions and crimes against defenceless civilians” perpetrated by both conflicting parties. They have deplored the disregard for the principles of international humanitarian law.
In a statement, the lawyers have classified these acts as crimes against humanity, among the gravest offences under international law, with no expiration by statute of limitations. They have also pointed to the worsening humanitarian conditions in the southern belt areas, exacerbated by the horrific atrocities endured by the area due to indiscriminate artillery and air strikes by the armed forces.
The areas to the south of Khartoum remain the focal points of military operations between the army and the RSF, as civilians suffer continuous artillery shelling. Additionally, military aircraft regularly target the Sports City camp, where the paramilitary forces are stationed, along with other sites in Al-Ingaz, Al-Azhari, and Al-Salamah neighbourhoods.