Image source, Reuters

The RSF, as it's commonly referred to, was formed in 2013 and has its origins in the notorious Janjaweed militia - which brutally fought off rebels in Darfur.

Since then its leader Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo has built a powerful force that has intervened in conflicts in Yemen and Libya, and controls some of Sudan's gold mines.

It has also been accused of human rights abuses, including the massacre of more than 120 protesters in June 2019.

Such a strong force outside the army has been seen as a source of instability in the country.

Find out more about the military rivalry behind the clashes in Khartoum here.

As we've been reporting, the ongoing conflict in Sudan revolves around the country's two top military men, who are in a bitter dispute about the future of the country.

They are Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the armed forces who is in effect Sudan’s leader, and his deputy Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who leads the paramilitary group the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Since the military took control of the government in a coup in October 2021, Sudan has been led by a military council that's spearheaded by - you guessed it - the two generals.

They have disagreed on the direction Sudan's going and the proposed move towards civilian rule. Another major sticking point is how the 100,000-strong RSF is to be included in a new force.

Sudan has faced economic and political turmoil since the coup, and pro-democracy activists have been organising protests against the military authorities.

Sam Hancock
Live reporter

Hello and good afternoon. It's gone 13:00 in Sudan, and I'm here to continue bringing you live coverage of the deadly fighting in Sudan - which is said to have killed nearly 100 civilians since Saturday.

We can't be totally sure about the situation on the ground but air strikes, heavy gunfire and artillery explosions have been widely reported by local outlets, on social media and in the BBC's interviews with residents of the capital Khartoum.

To get a sense of where battles have been reported so far today, I'd suggest reading this post my colleagues put out earlier. And, more generally, if you'd like a clearer picture as to why this fighting is taking place - head here.

Stay with me and the rest of the team, as we continue to get a clearer sense of what's happening where. It's me, James FitzGerald, Adam Durbin, Thomas Mackintosh and Cecilia Macaulay in London, and Basillioh Rukanga in Nairobi.

Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter

Image source, Reuters

If you're just joining this page, let me bring you up to date with the latest on the situation in Sudan.

• Fierce fighting continues to rage for a third day between between the army and a powerful rival paramilitary force called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
• Residents of Khartoum have reported gunfire and explosions and say they're running out of food and water
• The capital has seen the worst of the violence, with many properties destroyed as well as damage to the main international airport
• Fighting has also been taking place in other cities across the country - including in the Darfur region and the town of Meroe
• According to the Sudanese doctors' union almost 100 civilians have been killed - but the true number is though likely to be higher
• The US and UK are among the countries which have made fresh calls for an end to the violence, while the UN said it was "disappointed" by violations of humanitarian truce

Image source, Reuters

Following that look at the reaction within Africa - a snapshot of who's said what in the wider international community.

• US: Secretary of State Antony Blinken said people in Sudan want the "military back in the barrack" and called for an immediate end to the violence
• UK: Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the future of Sudan "ultimately lies in the hands of the generals who are engaged in this fight", and called on them to put peace first
• China: Said it was closely monitoring the situation and hoped “parties in Sudan will increase dialogue and jointly move forward the political transition process”
• Russia: Expressed concern over the “dramatic events taking place in Sudan,” and it called on the conflicting sides to show political will and restraint
• Germany: Said a crisis committee had been convened and was following developments closely
• The United Nations: Has condemned the failure of both sides to stick to a humanitarian pause in fighting

There have been multiple calls on the continent for an end to the fighting - which is now in its third day and has led to dozens of deaths. Here's a look at what leaders of other African nations have said.

• South Africa: Labelled the situation in Sudan “disturbing” and appealed to the rival factions to spare the Sudanese people any further violence during the holy month of Ramadan
• Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni said it was of the "utmost importance" to cease the hostilities "to stop the tragedy and mockery of Africa”
• Kenya: President William Ruto asked regional leaders to take a firm position to restore peace in Khartoum. Kenyan authorities say they are planning to evacuate 3,000 nationals stuck in Sudan
• Ethiopia: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the clashes “contradict the longstanding and deep-rooted Sudanese norms and values”
• Chad: The ruling junta has closed the border with Sudan and called on “the belligerents to commence dialogue”
• Guinea-Bissau: President Umaro Sissoco Embalo - who is also chair of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) - has similarly appealed for calm and dialogue

Image source, AFP

We've had a fresh comment from one of the two men involved in a bitter dispute that's spiralled into all-out conflict.

The commander of the paramilitary Rapid Special Forces (RSF) Gen Mohammed Hamdan Daglo (also known as Hemedti) has called for the international community to intervene.

In a Twitter thread posted this morning, external, he calls for action over the "crimes" of his adversary, the army leader Gen General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. He claims his troops are fighting against "radical Islamists".

The head of the RSF says the fight he is waging is "the price of democracy". He says his soldiers "did not attack anyone" and are simply responding to a "siege and assault".

He adds: "We are fighting for the people of Sudan to ensure the democratic progress, for which they have so long yearned."

But Hemedti's claims have been dismissed by many of those commenting on his post - who note that his paramilitary force has a brutal reputation. The RSF has previously been accused of ethnic cleansing in Darfur.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Something complicating the emergence of information this morning is the fact that that national broadcasters Sudan TV (SRTC) and Sudan Radio have both been off air since 12:27 GMT on Sunday.

The state broadcaster had earlier taken to playing patriotic songs.

A local news website reported on Saturday that clashes had taken place within the headquarters of the national broadcaster and that its control room "was bombed".

Both the army and the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have claimed to be in control of the TV station.

Reuters cited SRTC staff, external as saying that the authorities had cut transmissions in order to prevent broadcasting by RSF forces, after troops entered SRTC HQ.

James Copnall
BBC Sudan analyst

My guess is a negotiated solution to this conflict is not likely to happen, in the short term at any rate.

Over the weekend, General Hemedti of the Rapid Support Force (RSF) called Sudanese army General Burhan a dog, talked about hunting him down and called him a criminal - while the army have basically said they will not stop until the RSF is dissolved.

While these are statements from a few days ago, they show the mindset both sides have right now.

It's also my feeling that the intensity of the conflict has increased today, certainly compared to yesterday.

Speaking to friends in Khartoum, Omdurman and other places, they are talking about air strikes carried out by the Sudanese armed forces.

Presumably they are targeting RSF bases, who are then firing back up at the planes.

So this is urban warfare between two heavily armed forces and neither side appears willing to back down.

My initial feeling is we're likely to see a lot more fighting over the next few days and perhaps when it becomes clear which side will win, we will get closer to talks.

Although it's a difficult picture to fully discern, it seems like the Sudanese military have the upper hand - backed by that air power.

Image source, Reuters

The situation on the ground in Sudan is very unclear, with heavy fighting between the Sudanese armed forces and paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF) continuing for a third day.

Air strikes, heavy gunfire and artillery explosions have been widely reported by local outlets, on social media and in interviews local residents have given to the BBC over the last few hours.

We're working hard to get a clearer sense of what's happening where. In the meantime, here's a quick summary of some of key areas where violence has been reported this morning:

• Around the Republican Palace in the capital Khartoum
• At the Sudanese army command building in the same city
• At or near al-Shaab hospital in Khartoum
• Smoke has been filmed rising from the runway of the city's international airport

• RSF fighters claim to have taken control of Merowe airport, around 200 miles (320 km) to the north of the capital - but the BBC has been unable to verify this

Image source, .

A video posted on social media shows an attack helicopter flying low over Khartoum, as smoke billows in the background from the city's international airport.

The BBC has spoken to a charity worker who has been sheltering with her son in a school in Khartoum since the fighting began three days ago.

Katharina von Schroeder, from Save The Children, says they had hoped things would calm down when they arrived in search of shelter, but decided to stay put after clashes in the city escalated and spread to outside the capital.

She says several hundred children at least are trapped in similarly dangerous circumstances around Khartoum, but adds reports of local authorities rescuing some are circulating.

Describing an incredibly confusing situation on the ground, von Schroeder says the one saving grace is internet services are still functioning, which allows people to communicate and receive updates about what is going on.

Image source, .

If you're coming to this story fresh, here are four key things to know about Sudan:

Vast and diverse: The North African country was once the largest nation on the continent.

Internal conflict: Sudan has long been beset by violence. Two rounds of north-south civil war cost the lives of 1.5 million people, and a continuing conflict in the western region of Darfur has driven two million people from their homes and killed more than 200,000. The latest violence stems from a rift between two military men.

2011 split: After the people of the south voted to become their own country, the government gave its blessing to South Sudan - where the mainly Christian and Animist people had for decades been struggling against rule by the Arab Muslim north.

Longstanding issues: Questions of shared oil revenues and border demarcation have continued to create tensions between the two successor states.

And our map below shows key locations in the capital Khartoum which you might be reading about in connection to the latest hostilities.

Ahmed Mohamed Abdi
BBC Monitoring

Image source, Reuters

It is not clear who is in charge in Sudan.

Conflicting narratives have emerged as deadly clashes continue, having broken out early on Saturday between the army (SAF) and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Nearly 100 civilians have been killed as violence spread from the capital Khartoum to other cities.

In the absence of state media - which abruptly halted live broadcasts after clashes at its headquarters in Omdurman - the SAF and the RSF have predominantly used social media to issue competing statements.

These have included claiming control of strategic sites such as command centres, air bases and the presidential palace.

The clashes are underpinned by a power struggle between the army chief and country's de facto president, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and his deputy who also commands the RSF, Gen Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti.

Since hijacking a popular civilian uprising to oust long-serving President Omar al-Bashir in 2019, the army has concentrated power around itself.

As we've been mentioning this morning, civilians have found themselves caught up in days of hostilities between Sudan's army and a paramilitary group.

On Sunday, we spoke to eyewitnesses who had been sheltering with their families as fighting continued in the capital Khartoum. Watch the video below to see what it's been like for them.

Emmanuel Igunza
Reporting from Nairobi

As the fighting continues, hospitals in the capital and elsewhere are struggling to treat hundreds of injured.

Besieged hospitals are running short on medicine and unable to operate oxygen machines due to a lack of electricity, former foreign minister Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi told the BBC earlier.

"They have used all the gasoline they have to run the generators," she said. "It is really very, very bad... and we don't know when it will end."

Aid agencies have also suspended their activities despite a drought that’s left millions in need of assistance.

Emmanuel Igunza
Reporting from Nairobi

Heavy gunfire and explosions can be heard in the Sudanese capital this morning as fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces continues for a third day.

Residents in Khartoum tell us that they remain stuck in their homes, even as food and water supplies dwindle.

The Sudanese doctors’ union has warned that the death toll, estimated at 97, could rise even further.

Image source, AFP

Although we're reporting that nearly 100 civilians have died in the latest violence in Sudan, we should clarify that the fighting itself does not directly involve civilians but is instead within the country's armed forces.

What's happening now is the latest upheaval since the toppling of Sudan's long-serving President Omar al-Bashir in 2019. Afterwards, the military promised a transition to civilian rule - but protesters who'd had a role in ousting Bashir vowed to stay on the streets and demanded a role in the government.

A joint military-civilian government was then agreed in August 2019, which was supposed to pave the way for elections. But there were tensions between the sides - and two years later the military staged another coup.

Since then, attempts to resurrect the plan to move towards civilian rule have hit problems - and the fresh hostilities centre on disagreements between the head of the army and the leader of a paramilitary force.

Image source, State House Uganda/ Twitter

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has condemned the “misuse of force" in the Sudan crisis, saying the fresh fighting undermines all progress made through dialogue over the last several months.

"We cannot keep papering over mistakes of unprincipled politics year after year," President Museveni said on Sunday while addressing a regional African grouping, Igad (mentioned in our previous post).

Museveni, who was among the mediators of the Sudan conflict, said an “unconditional and immediate cessation of hostilities to stop the tragedy and mockery of Africa is of utmost importance”.

He blamed Sudan leaders' of what he termed as "ideological and strategic governance errors", saying “even fighting must be for principled cause”.

The Ugandan leader said the ultimate arbitration on Sudan's political crisis should be brought back to the people in an election.

The two rival Sudanese military groups had in recent months made progress towards the formation of a new civilian-led transitional government. But the groups disagreed on, among other things, the timeline for the absorption of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) into the regular army.

The divisions delayed a political deal aimed at re-establishing civilian rule by 11 April.

An east African regional grouping plans to send three presidents to Sudan at the earliest possible time to reconcile the fighting rival military groups.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) agreed on Sunday to send the leaders of Kenya, South Sudan and Djibouti to the capital Khartoum. It also called for an immediate cessation of hostilities between the warring parties in Sudan.

But with the international airport closed, it's uncertain when any peace initiative can begin.

As we've been reporting, fighting between government forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is continuing today despite pleas by the international community to warring parties to cease fire.

Kenya's President William Ruto asked Igad leaders to take a firm position to restore peace in Khartoum.