Khartoum, Nov 12 (IANS): The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have blamed each other for destroying a major bridge in the capital Khartoum.

"As part of its plan to destroy the country's capabilities and infrastructure, and as a result of the advancement that our forces have started to make in the field, especially in Omdurman axis, the rebel militia destroyed the Shambat Bridge linking Omdurman and Bahri cities at dawn today (Saturday)," the office of the SAF's spokesman said on Saturday in a statement.

It denounced the destruction of the bridge as "a new crime" in the RSF's record against the nation and the people, Xinhua news agency reported.

For its part, the RSF accused the SAF of destroying the vital bridge, slamming it as a "war crime".

"The destruction of a bridge will not cripple us," the RSF said, vowing harsh responses.

Deadly clashes have been going on between the SAF and the RSF in Khartoum and other areas since April 15, killing up to 9,000 people, forcing more than 5.8 million displaced within and outside Sudan and leaving 25 million in need of aid, according to the latest Sudan situation report on November 7 by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.