Witnesses say seven people were killed this week in the first known clash in the Sudanese capital between fighters from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and armed civilians, a development that, if repeated, adds an ominous layer to the three-month war between the army and the RSF.
News of the clash came after a call last month by army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan on able-bodied civilians to join the army in its war against the RSF. He has also called on civilian men to visit army bases where they would be handed firearms to defend themselves, their families and property.
The RSF, whose forerunner is a notorious Darfur militia known as the Janjaweed, stationed thousands of its fighters deep in residential neighbourhoods since the early days of the war, leaving the army with the difficult task of trying to dislodge them while trying to avoid civilian casualties.
The paramilitary's fighters have since been consistently accused of breaking into and occupying homes whose inhabitants fled the fighting, as well widespread looting of homes, shops and banks.
There have also been reports of sexual assaults by RSF fighters against women, forcing many families to send female members to family and friends outside the capital for their safety.
The clash between the RSF fighters and civilians happened on Monday in the district of Haj Youssef in the capital's fiercely contested area of Sharq Al Neel in Bahri, one of the three cities that together with Khartoum and Omdurman make up the greater capital city.
RSF fighters arrived in two all-terrain vehicles and a lorry loaded with about 40 bodies of their comrades and went around homes asking for help to bury their dead in the local cemetery, according to two witnesses – Siddiq Al Imam and Mouawaya Noqd – who spoke to The National.
The fighters said that they needed help because army warplanes were flying over the area and could target them if they were in the open, the two witnesses said.
"No one objected to them burying their dead in our cemetery, but they provoked us when it became clear they wanted to use us as human shields," Mr Noqd said. "But we stood our ground."
Tensions rose when the men refused to help and an angry crowd soon gathered around the RSF fighters, they said. A gun battle then ensued between the neighbourhood's men and the RSF fighters in which four RSF fighters and three civilians were killed, they added. Four more civilians were injured.
"More RSF fighters arrived after the gun battle and arrested 15 men," Mr Imam said. "They released 12 of them on Tuesday morning but deployed sharpshooters on rooftops. It's very tense now."
There have been reports circulating for weeks in Khartoum about stand-offs between civilians and RSF fighters stationed in residential districts, but Monday's incident at Sharq Al Neel is the first known one to involve a gun battle and fatalities.
The tension between the RSF and civilians in Khartoum is partially a reflection of the cultural and economic gap separating the capital's residents from the RSF fighters, who are mostly drawn from the nation's impoverished regions such as Darfur and Kordofan in the west and south-west. Many feel discriminated against by the relatively better-off northern part of Sudan.
The harassment and fear endured by civilians at the hands of RSF fighters entrenched in their districts has in some cases forced them to leave their homes en masse.
In one case this week, the RSF ordered residents of Al Ashra neighbourhood in Khartoum's Al Sahafah district to leave their homes after they refused to co-operate with the paramilitary, according to eyewitness Amer Abdullah.
The war in Sudan broke out after weeks of tension between the army and the RSF over a political blueprint proposed by pro-democracy politicians that envisages the army quitting politics and the RSF being integrated into the armed forces.
The war created a huge humanitarian crisis, forcing more than three million people to flee their homes and leaving millions more trapped in the capital suffering lengthy power failures and water shortages, scarce health services and skyrocketing food and fuel prices.
The UN has warned that the country was headed towards "full-fledged" civil war and the US says neither side has an appetite for ending the war. A series of truces mediated by the US and Saudi Arabia were either ignored or not fully respected, although several regional attempts to end the war are now under way.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Engine: 80 kWh four-wheel-drive
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Match info
Athletic Bilbao 0
Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Last-16 Europa League fixtures
Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)
FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm
Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm
Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm
Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm
Thursday
Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm
Sevilla v Roma (one leg only) 8.55pm
FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm
Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Price: From Dh149,900
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Company%20Profile
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