Flames have consumed buildings in Khartoum amid the ongoing Sudan conflict, following fighting between the army and rival forces since April. Among the structures devoured by fire is the 18-storey Greater Nile Petroleum Oil Company Tower, a symbol of Khartoum’s skyline.
Videos circulating online feature the towering fire that has enveloped the Greater Nile Petroleum Oil Company Tower. The tower stands near the banks of the river Nile. Tagreed Abdin, the architect of the building expressed sorrow and disbelief on X (formerly Twitter).
The cause of the devastating fire in the cone-like structure, with its glass facade reflecting the sun’s rays, remains unknown. No injuries or fatalities resulting from the incident is reported.
The Sudan conflict erupted on 15 April, triggered by a power struggle between Sudanese army leaders and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Tensions had been escalating as RSF members were redeployed across the country, which the army interpreted as a threat to its authority.
The violence has since escalated into a full-blown crisis, with Khartoum and other areas witnessing air strikes and ground battles.
Sudan War Monitor, an organisation analysing the crisis, reported that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched an attack on areas under army control.
Multiple government buildings, including the Justice Ministry, were reported to have caught fire in the aftermath of the RSF attack. Attacks on army facilities persisted into Sunday, intensifying the already dire situation in Khartoum.
Health authorities confirmed that all major hospitals in Khartoum and the Darfur region were no longer operational.
Pro-democracy lawyers have reported that the fighting in Khartoum has resulted in the deaths of “dozens of civilians” since Friday. The conflict has also spread beyond the capital, with fighting reported in the city of El-Obeid, located approximately 400 kilometres (250 miles) to the south of Khartoum.
The RSF’s determination to gain control of the capital has prompted the military to conduct airstrikes in an attempt to weaken RSF positions.
Since its inception in April, the Sudan conflict has claimed 7,500 lives, and displaced over five million individuals.