On June 3rd, 2019, airstrikes reportedly hit the Sudanese capital of Khartoum as fighting between the military and paramilitary forces loyal to ousted president Omar al-Bashir intensified. The airstrikes were aimed at military sites, including a base belonging to the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group that is largely made up of Janjaweed fighters. Witnesses reported that the airstrikes caused significant damage to buildings, including the police headquarters in Khartoum. The Sudanese government denied that any airstrikes had occurred, but the US government confirmed that the military had carried out the strikes.
This comes as the military and the paramilitary forces loyal to al-Bashir continue to clash in the capital. The paramilitary forces have been accused of carrying out a bloody crackdown on protesters and civilian areas in the city. The military has also come under criticism for its role in the crackdown and for its failure to protect protesters from attacks by the paramilitary forces.
The conflict has resulted in at least 108 deaths since the start of the protests in April, with the vast majority of casualties being civilians. The fighting has also displaced thousands of people and caused a humanitarian crisis in the city.
