KHARTOUM, Oct 14, (Xinhua): At least 23 civilians were killed and over 40 others injured in an airstrike on a main market in southern Khartoum on Saturday, according to local volunteer and non-governmental groups. "The incident occurred when warplanes bombarded the Al-Souk Al-Markazy (central market) in Khartoum yesterday (Saturday) afternoon," the local volunteer group South Khartoum Emergency Room said in a statement on Sunday.

The injured "were transferred to Bashair, Elrazi, and Alraqi hospitals for treatment. Some are in critical condition," the statement added. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) launched a significant offensive on September 26 against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the capital, Khartoum, marking its most substantial effort in months to regain control of the city, according to military sources and witnesses.

Since April 15, 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a violent conflict between the SAF and the RSF, resulting in approximately 20,000 deaths, thousands of injuries, and the displacement of millions, according to the latest estimates by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.