Sudan’s Burhan accuses RSF of using civilians as human shields

Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of using civilians as human shields.

“RSF [fighters] are deployed in residential neighborhoods, and they’re using civilians as human shields,” Burhan told Al Arabiya on Saturday.

The unabated fighting, which erupted last week between forces loyal to Burhan and the RSF, has killed at least 400.

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Burhan also accused the RSF of “attacking diplomatic missions, disregarding international law” and of “transforming hospitals into military [sites].”

“The RSF attacked stores, banks and governmental institutions,” Burhan added.

Asked about the whereabouts of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, Burhan said no one knows where he is.

“Even his forces do not know where he is.”

The army chief also said that airports in Sudan are under “the army’s control except the airports of [the capital] Khartoum and Nyala,” the capital of the state of South Darfur.

“[Fighting] inside cities prolongs the confrontation. Gunmen must leave residential neighborhoods to end [this] war,” Burhan said, adding that no one “can forecast when and how the [clashes] will end.”

“The Sudanese people are the ones who are losing [the most]. We call for an internal dialogue to resolve the crisis,” Burhan added.
Sudan borders seven countries and sits between Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Africa’s volatile Sahel region. The hostilities risk fanning regional tensions.

The violence was triggered by disagreement over an internationally backed plan to form a new civilian government four years after the fall of President Omar al-Bashir and two years after the military coup.

Both sides accuse the other of thwarting the transition.
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