Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continued on Wednesday in the outskirts of Khartoum in violation of an earlier truce.
Representatives of organizations representing civil society in the country fear that the ongoing conflict could lead to a resurgence of the influence of deposed dictator Omar al-Bashir and his supporters.
Meanwhile, the Sudanese army confirmed that even before the outbreak of hostilities on April 15, 79-year-old Bashir, along with at least five of his former officials, had been transferred from Kober prison in Khartoum to a military hospital.
Thousands of prisoners were released from jail over the weekend, including a former minister in Bashir’s government who, like him, is wanted for war crimes by the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC).
At least one other person from the group transferred to the hospital is wanted by the ICC.
Recall that thirty years of Bashir’s reign ended with a popular uprising that took place four years ago. Since then, he has been in prison and sometimes in a clinic. Sudanese authorities charged him for the 1989 coup that brought him to power.
Civic activists accuse groups loyal to Bashir of seeking to use the conflict to return to power.
“This war, fueled by the toppled regime, will drive the country to ruin,” said the Sudanese political group Forces for Freedom and Change (FCC), which advocates an internationally-backed plan to bring the country to a civilian regime.
The plan was thwarted by fighting which broke out between the regular army and the Rapid Support Force formations. Both parties and the FCC missed the April deadline for the start of the transition to democracy, largely due to disputes over the integration of security forces.
Recall that as a result of air strikes and artillery fire, at least 459 people were killed; more than 4,000 people are injured.
The White House said Americans were among the victims.
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