A military vehicle seen in Khartoum, Sudan, on April 15, 2023,  (Photo: AFP/VNA)

On Saturday, the RSF took control of several key areas including the presidential palace in Khartoum after fighting with the country's military forces. While the RSF accused the army of attacking its forces south of Khartoum with light and heavy weapons, the military accused the paramilitary force of attacking them in several locations.

Tensions between the military and the RSF have been escalating for the past months, forcing a delay in the signing of an internationally backed agreement with political parties for a two-year, civilian-led transition to free elections. 

Volker Perthes, Head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), strongly condemned the eruption of fighting in Sudan. Perthes has reached out to both parties asking them for an immediate cessation of fighting to ensure the safety of Sudanese people and to spare the country from further violence.

European Union foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell called on all forces involved to stop the violence in Sudan immediately.

The US, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt expressed great concern over the escalation of violence in Sudan, and called on all parties to exercise restraint and use dialogue to resolve the conflict.

The airlines of Egypt and Saudi Arabia have announced the suspension of flights to and from Sudan.