The Sudanese military leader, Abdelfatá al Burhan, has called for calm to the population after the outbreak on Saturday of fighting in the capital, Khartoum, against the paramilitary Rapid Action Forces (RSF) in what is the collapse of the civil transition process in the African country.
In his first declarations after the beginning of the hostilities, the general assured that the situation is «under control» and denounced that the paramilitary forces tried to launch a direct attack against his residence during the first hours of fighting.
»I was shocked when the Rapid Support Forces attacked my residence, at around 09.00 in the morning,» Al Burhan told the pan-Arab channel Al Jazeera. »However, they were unable to enter the headquarters of the Army General Command and everything is under control,» he added.
Specifically, Al Burhan assured that the situation at the airport of the capital is now calm after recognizing that units of the RSF »have set fire to several planes» before retreating in the face of the advance of the Sudanese military forces.
All the strategic installations of the General Command of the Armed Forces and the Presidential Palace are under the control of the army, according to the Sudanese leader.
Shortly after, the spokesman of the Sudanese Army, General Nabil Abdullah, also appeared before the same media to accuse the RSF of having initiated the hostilities.
The Armed Forces did not start this aggression because we are disciplined and responsible», he assured, before regretting that the country »would not have reached this situation if the RSF had not abandoned their particular ambitions» during the negotiations for integration into the army, whose rupture within the framework of the transitional agreement was the main trigger of this crisis.
»We will try to resolve the battle as soon as possible, and we hope that the voice of reason will prevail,» he added.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)