KARACHI: The Pakistani embassy in Sudan urged its nationals to limit their movement as the Sudanese military rivals continued fighting each other on Sunday in a bid to seize power. 

Sudan’s army launched air strikes on a rival paramilitary force’s base near the capital in a bid to reassert control over the country after a power struggle erupted into clashes that killed dozens of fighters and 56 civilians. 

The fighting that broke out on Saturday between army units loyal to General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by deputy leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, is the first such outbreak since both joined forces to oust president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir in 2019. 

“Due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, all respected Pakistanis are requested to limit their activities and avoid going out of their homes,” the Pakistani embassy said on Twitter. 

However, the embassy urged Pakistanis to reach out to the mission on its helpline number 0924095119. 

A spokesperson for Pakistan International Airlines said the national flag carrier does not operate any flights to Sudan at the moment, but it could operate a chartered flight to evacuate any stranded Pakistanis if asked by the authorities. 

“No flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flies to Sudan but if we get any directions from the government of Pakistan to operate chartered flight for evacuating any stranded Pakistani nationals, we will comply in the national interest by being the flag carrier and after evaluating operational modalities,” PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan told Arab News on Sunday, adding the airlines had not received any directions so far. 

Pakistan’s foreign office said on Saturday it was “closely monitoring the security situation” in the capital city of Khartoum to ensure the safety of its nationals following a coup attempt by paramilitary forces. 

“We are closely monitoring the security situation in Sudan,” the foreign office said in a Twitter post. “There are around a thousand Pakistanis in Khartoum. Our Mission is in contact with them to ensure their safety.” 

The statement was issued hours after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said they had seized the presidential palace, the army chief’s residence, and Khartoum international airport after accusing the army of attacking its personnel first.