KHARTOUM, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Violent confrontations resumed on Saturday between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in various areas of the capital Khartoum as the clashes in Sudan entered the sixth month.
The RSF launched violent attacks targeting the headquarters of the SAF's General Command in central Khartoum and other military bases in nearby Omdurman and Bahri cities, according to local media and eyewitnesses.
"Violent clashes broke out at dawn today (Saturday) in the vicinity of the General Command of the Sudanese army, in which all types of weapons were used," the independent Sudan Tribune news portal reported on its website, quoting eyewitnesses as saying.
Citing a military source, it reported that the SAF repulsed an attack by the RSF on the army's general command from the northeastern and southwestern directions, adding that the SAF has inflicted heavy losses among the paramilitary forces in lives and equipment.
Meanwhile, an eyewitness from eastern Khartoum told Xinhua that "since morning, there have been strong explosions in Burri and Imtidat Nasir neighborhoods, with clouds of smoke rising from the two areas."
In Bahri city, north of Khartoum, eyewitnesses said the RSF launched heavy artillery strikes on the Sudanese army's Signal Corps.
Violent battles are also taking place between the RSF and the SAF in the vicinity of the Engineers Corps, a strategic army base, in western Omdurman, northwest of Khartoum.
"There are violent battles in the vicinity of the Engineers Corps, with intensive sorties by the SAF warplanes," an eyewitness from the western Omdurman area told Xinhua on Saturday.
As the clashes just entered their sixth month, the RSF still controls large areas in the capital Khartoum, and some western areas, while the SAF controls large areas in northern, eastern and central Sudan.
Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the SAF and the RSF in Khartoum and other areas since April 15, resulting in at least 3,000 deaths and more than 6,000 injuries, according to figures released by the Sudanese Health Ministry. ■