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Activists say 50 killed in Sudan battles

A burned vehicle is seen in Khartoum, Sudan. — Reuters file photo
 
A burned vehicle is seen in Khartoum, Sudan. — Reuters file photo
KASSALA: Local activists in central Sudan have reported over 50 people killed since clashes erupted in Al Jazira state on Sunday after a paramilitary commander defected to the army. In the state capital of Wad Madani, a military air strike on a mosque killed 31 people, the local resistance committee, one of hundreds of volunteer groups coordinating aid across the war-torn country, said in a statement on Tuesday.

They accused the army of using 'barrel bombs', adding that over half of the dead remained unidentified as rescuers combed through the remains of 'dozens of charred and mutilated bodies'. In the state's war-ravaged east, activists said at least 20 people have been killed in paramilitary attacks since Sunday. On Sunday, the army announced that the RSF's Al Jazira commander Abu Aqla Kaykal had abandoned the paramilitary force, bringing 'a large number of his forces' to 'fight alongside our army', in what they said was the first high-profile defection to the military's side. — AFP