The Sudanese military conducted a significant artillery and aerial assault in Khartoum on Thursday, marking its largest operation to reclaim territory in the capital since the war began 17 months ago with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
This military action precedes a scheduled speech by its leader, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, at the United Nations General Assembly in New York later today.
The offensive, which comes after the armed forces lost control of most parts of the capital at the onset of the conflict, ignited fierce shelling and clashes.
Witnesses reported intense fighting as the Sudanese military attempted to cross bridges over the Nile that connect the three adjoining cities of the greater capital area: Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri.
The RSF also made advances in other parts of Sudan in recent months, contributing to a humanitarian crisis on a massive scale.
The conflict has displaced over 10 million people, pushing several regions of the country into severe hunger or famine.
Diplomatic efforts by the United States and other international powers have stumbled, with the Sudanese military declining to attend planned talks last month in Switzerland.
This ongoing strife underscores the severe complexities and human costs associated with the conflict in Sudan.
Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) announced that in South Darfur, Sudan, pregnant women, new mothers, and newborns are dying at alarming rates, and thousands of children are suffering from severe malnutrition on the verge of famine.
The situation in South Darfur is described as a snapshot of what likely extends to other isolated regions with horrifying statistics.
Within the first eight months of the year, the organization supported two hospitals in South Darfur, where they recorded 46 maternal deaths and 48 newborn deaths due to infections.
About a third of children under two years old examined in South Darfur in August were found to be suffering from acute malnutrition, more than double the emergency threshold set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
