16 civilians killed in clashes between Sudan's warring parties in South Darfur State: lawyers group

KHARTOUM, July 23: At least 16 civilians were killed in exchanged bombardment between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Nyala, the capital of Sudan's South Darfur State on Friday, the Darfur Bar Association announced on Saturday.

The professional lawyers' organization said in a statement that "16 citizens were killed in Nyala, South Darfur, due to the fall of projectiles on citizens' homes during exchanged artillery bombardment between the army and the RSF on Friday."

"The battles in Nyala are taking place on the heads of citizens amid random shootings on streets and houses as well as killings with sniper bullets," according to the statement.

Nyala has been witnessing armed confrontations between the Sudanese army and the RSF over the past three days, the association said, adding that a number of the city's neighborhoods, including Al-Wohda and Karari, south of Nyala, were affected by the fighting on Friday.

The association called on the warring parties to immediately stop the war and avoid targeting civilians.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF in Khartoum and other areas since April 15, resulting in over 3,000 deaths and more than 6,000 injuries, according to figures released by the Sudanese Health Ministry.

More than 3 million people have been forced into displacement, inside and outside Sudan, since the conflict broke out in the country, according to UN estimates.