At least 97 civilians killed in fighting between Sudanese military groups

April 17 (UPI) -- Nearly 100 civilians have been killed and hundreds more injured in fighting between two rival military factions in Sudan, a doctors' union said Monday.

The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said that 41 civilians were killed on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 97, while 942 people, including both civilians and military personnel, have been injured.

The group warned hospitals and medical clinics were not military shelters but were sacrosanct and violation of them was a "crime against humanity, values and morals, and all the agreements and covenants prohibit their violation."

"Our calls and appeals remain to control the voice of reason and stop this war immediately and allow safe passages to be opened to evacuate detainees, trapped, wounded and injured," it wrote.

Violence erupted on Saturday in an escalation of a power struggle between the regular army and the offshoot Rapid Support Forces militia which have jointly ruled the country since staging a military coup in 2019.

The Sudan Armed Forces, which used aircraft and heavy weapons to target RSF positions Sunday in Khartoum and elsewhere, claimed to have taken control of Merowe airport and seven RSF bases in Khartoum, Port Sudan, Kassala, Gedaref, Damazin, Kosti and Kadugli.

In the first few hours of the fighting Saturday, RSF said it had captured control of the presidential palace and international airport amid sounds of heavy fighting in Khartoum.

The United States and Britain expressed deep concern about the fighting saying it could pose a threat beyond Sudan's borders.

Speaking on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Tokyo on Monday alongside British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the pair had been consulting very closely on the situation and the United States was in close touch with partners in the Arab world, in Africa, in international organizations.

Blinken said there was agreement across all partners that the warring parties must protect civilians and noncombatants, implement an immediate ceasefire and return to talks that had been progressing toward the restoration of civilian government.

"People in Sudan want the military back in the barracks. They want democracy. They want a civilian-led government. Sudan needs to return to that path," added Blinken.

The World Health Organization said many of the capital's nine hospitals have reported shortages of blood, transfusion equipment, intravenous fluids, medical supplies, and other stocks.

Hospitals were also experiencing difficulties due to a lack of specialists including anesthetists, and fuel to run the generators on which they depend for electricity. Khartoum suffers from water and power shortages that pre-date the conflict.