Sudan army chief Al Burhan freezes bank accounts of paramilitary RSF

Military leader also fires central bank governor and retires four army generals

Sudan's military leader Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan. AFP

The bank accounts of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces were frozen on Sunday under the orders of military leader Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, a month after fighting began in the North African country.

The accounts of paramilitary affiliates will also be frozen, Sudan's state news agency Suna reported.

Earlier on Sunday, Gen Al Burhan fired central bank governor Hussain Jankol and replaced him with one of his deputies, Borai El Siddiq.

He also retired four army generals. No reason was given for either decision.

Despite several ceasefires and talks in Saudi Arabia to broker peace between the Sudanese army and the RSF, air strikes continued in the capital, Khartoum.

“There were heavy air strikes near us in Saliha that shook the doors of the house,” Salma Yassin, a teacher in Omdurman, told Reuters.

At least 676 people have been killed and 5,576 wounded since the fighting began, the Federal Ministry of Health said. Many believe the real death toll to be much higher.

The warring sides signed a Declaration of Commitment to protect civilians and guarantee safe passage of humanitarian aid in the country on May 11, but they have continued to fight.

Several UN centres have also been looted, with about 17,000 metric tonnes of food being taken, the World Food Programme said.

More than 939,000 people have been displaced, the UN said on Sunday, including at least 450,000 children forced to flee their homes.

Sudan was home to 3.7 million internally displaced people before the conflict began.