Head of the Sudanese army General Abdel Fattah Burhan pledged this week that Sudan’s army was committed to returning governance of the country to civilian rule.
The commitment was made during a speech on Eid, the end of Ramadan, as Sudan spiralled deeper into renewed civil war.
Burhan, along with the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, grabbed power 18 months ago from the civilian government but they have since fallen out, leading to escalating clashes across Sudan.
The sound of heavy fighting could be heard across the capital city of Khartoum on Friday as the army and RSF fought for control of the city.
Both sides in the fighting are seeking foreign support and recognition as the legitimate government of Sudan.
The World Health Organisation reports that as the conflict enters its sixth day, nearly 330 people have died and over 3 200 have been wounded in Khartoum, as well as other areas, including the western Darfur region and Obeid, a state of North Kordofan.
It is the deployment of the RSF solders around the country that allegedly threatened the military. Initial shots were fired in neighbourhoods last weekend, followed by explosions and airstrikes, with each commander blaming the other for the detonations.
The East African quotes 38-year-old southern Khartoum resident Nazek Abdalla as saying earlier this week: ‘We were awoken today at around 4:30 am to the roaring sound of fighter jets and air strikes. We locked our doors and windows hoping no stray bullets would hit our building.’
Evacuation efforts by countries of the East African Community (EAC) are under way, but are being hampered by the fighting. Leaders of the UN and AU have called both generals to a 24-hour ceasefire.