Pakistan 'monitoring' situation in Sudan as violence escalates

Ministry of Foreign Affairs is "closely monitoring" the situation in Sudan where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has claimed it has taken control of Khartoum international airport, as clashes erupted with the army.

As the situation worsens, there are concerns for the Pakistanis in Khartoum. In response, the ministry reassured people that a mission is in touch with people there to make sure they are safe.

"We are closely monitoring the security situation in #Sudan. There are around a thousand Pakistanis in #Khartoum. Our Mission is in contact with them to ensure their safety," Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a tweet.

Sudan's capital was hit by explosions as the regular army and paramilitaries launched attacks on each other's bases, leading to a dangerous turning point in the country. 

The violent clash was the result of rising tensions between military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and paramilitary commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo over the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army, AFP reported. 

Witnesses reported confrontations, gunfire, and loud explosions near an RSF base in south Khartoum. The RSF claimed control of the Khartoum airport, with witnesses seeing truckloads of fighters entering the airport compound. 

Gunfire and artillery exchanges were heard near Burhan's residence and in Khartoum North, with civilians taking cover. Both sides are blaming each other for initiating the fight.