• The army said it was fighting the RSF at sites the paramilitaries said they had taken
• Gunfire could be heard in several parts of Khartoum and eyewitnesses reporting shooting in adjoining cities

KHARTOUM: Sudan’s main paramilitary group said it had seized the presidential palace, the army chief’s residence and Khartoum international airport on Saturday in an apparent coup attempt but the military said it was fighting back.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which accused the army of attacking them first, also said they had taken over the airports in the northern city of Merowe and in El-Obeid in the west.

The situation on the ground was unclear. The army said it was fighting the RSF at sites the paramilitaries said they had taken. The army also said it had taken some RSF bases and denied that the RSF had taken Merowe airport.

A major confrontation between the RSF and the army could plunge Sudan into widespread conflict as it struggles with economic breakdown and tribal violence, and could also derail efforts to move toward elections.

The clashes follow rising tensions between the army and the RSF over the integration of the RSF into the military and who should oversee the process. The disagreement has delayed the signing an internationally-backed agreement with political parties on a transition to democracy.

On Saturday, the RSF accused the army of carrying out a plot by loyalists of former strongman President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir — who was ousted in 2019 — and attempting a coup itself.

The RSF is headed by former militia leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti. He has been deputy leader of Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council headed by army General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan since 2019.

The army said the Sudanese air force was conducting operations against the RSF. Footage from broadcasters showed a military aircraft in the sky above Khartoum, but Reuters could not independently confirm the material.

Gunfire could be heard in several parts of Khartoum and eyewitnesses reporting shooting in adjoining cities.

A Reuters journalist saw cannon and armored vehicles deployed in the streets of the capital and heard heavy weapons fire near the headquarters of both the army and RSF.

TV footage showed smoke rising over several areas of Khartoum.

Doctors said at least three civilians had been killed.

Clashes were also taking place at the headquarters of Sudan’s state TV, said an anchor who appeared on screen.

The Sudanese armed forces spokesman told the Al Jazeera Mubasher television station that the army would respond to any “irresponsible” actions, as its forces clashed with the RSF in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country.

Brig.-General Nabil Abdallah said there was a heavy presence of RSF troops at the TV headquarters in Khartoum.

Reuters