Khartoum: Dozens killed as Army, rivals battle for control of Sudan

Khartoum : The Sudanese military and a powerful paramilitary group battled for control of the chaos-stricken nation for a second day on Sunday, signalling they were unwilling to end hostilities despite mounting diplomatic pressure to cease fire.

Heavy fighting involving armoured vehicles, truck-mounted machine guns and war planes raged on Sunday in the capital of Khartoum, the adjoining city of Omdurman and in flashpoints across the country. The rival forces are believed to have tens of thousands of fighters each in the capital alone.

At least 56 civilians were reported killed, including three employees of the UN food agency. The Sudan Doctors' Syndicate said it believed there were dozens of additional deaths among the rival forces. It said close to 600 people were wounded, including civilians and fighters.