Sudan conflict: Sudan Skyscraper Engulfed in Flames

• Sudan’s iconic skyscraper was engulfed in flames after air strikes and ground battles.
• The skyscraper is a prominent landmark in Khartoum and cost $20 million to build.
• Fighting has killed “dozens of civilians” in Khartoum since Friday.

Buildings in the capital of Sudan have ignited in flames following intense clashes between the army and rival factions.

Videos circulating online depict the iconic Greater Nile Petroleum Oil Company Tower engulfed in fire.

Targeted Abdin, an architect involved with the building, expressed her anguish on a platform similar to Twitter, formerly known as X.

Fierce air strikes and ground battles have persisted in Khartoum and other urban areas since the conflict erupted in April.

The United Nations reports that over one million individuals have been compelled to flee the country due to the ongoing violence.

Situated close to the River Nile, the 18-story skyscraper belonging to the oil company is a prominent landmark in Khartoum.

Ms. Abdin emphasized its significance in defining the city’s skyline and lamented the senseless destruction it has suffered.

The exact cause of the fire engulfing the tower’s distinctive cone-like structure, characterized by a glass exterior, remains unclear. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities have been reported.

The conflict in Sudan began on April 15th, triggered by a power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Tensions had escalated in the days leading up to the outbreak of violence, with the RSF redeploying its members across the country, a move perceived as a threat by the army.

According to the Sudan War Monitor, an organization analyzing the conflict, the RSF attacked areas controlled by the army on Saturday, including an office building at the justice ministry.

This attack resulted in several government buildings catching fire. The RSF has accused the army of carrying out the attacks, including the one on the 18-story skyscraper.

However, the army has yet to state the matter.

Fadl Abdullah, the former vice president of the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company, revealed that the building had incurred a construction cost of approximately $20 million (£16 million) and emphasized the significant financial loss resulting from its destruction.

Attacks on army facilities persisted into Sunday, as reported by witnesses to the AFP news agency. In a southern district of the city, where the army targeted RSF bases, residents were awakened by the sounds of “massive explosions.”

Health authorities announced that all major hospitals in Khartoum and the Darfur region were no longer operational.

Nawal Mohammed, a resident living at least 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) away from the clashes in the capital, described how the doors and windows of her family home shook from the force of the explosions.