What Is Happening in Sudan, in Maps and Videos

Deadly clashes broke out in the Sudanese capital on Friday as tensions between rival factions from the military turned violent. By Saturday evening, the fighting had spread beyond the capital, Khartoum, and it was unclear who was in control of the country.

Here’s a video showing the battle and what we know about the location of the violence.

Fighting began at a military base before spreading to other critical sites across Khartoum. Fighter jets thundered overhead at high altitudes, residents hid in their homes and foreign embassies urged citizens to stay indoors.

Video from Khartoum’s international airport shows a civilian plane on fire and passengers ducking for cover. Saudi Arabian Airlines said one of the planes was damaged by gunfire while preparing for a scheduled flight to Riyadh.

Two groups are competing for control of the country: the Sudanese Army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary group led by Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan. The generals had united to take over the country in a coup in 2021, but most fell short in recent months.

Troops from both groups were seen in social media videos leaving Khartoum.

The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors urged doctors and surgeons to report to the nearest hospital, saying they were dealing with many critical cases. At least 30 people were killed and hundreds injured, according to UN officials.

Elsewhere in Sudan

By Saturday evening, the fighting had spread beyond Khartoum. While it is too early to tell if Sudan is in the midst of a civil war, several people told The New York Times that the vast geographical distance of the fighting makes it so.

On Saturday night, the Rapid Support Forces claimed on Twitter that they were in control of most of the country’s military installations, including the airport in El Geneina.

But the control claims were disputed and could not be verified. Both sides say they control key installations across the country, and each side accuses the other of staging a coup.