KHARTOUM, June 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 civilians, including five children and women, were killed on Saturday in an airstrike south of Sudan's capital Khartoum, the country's health ministry said.

"Al-Yarmouk and Mayo areas, south of Khartoum, came under airstrikes ... with initial estimates showing 17 killed, including five children, women and elderly people, and 25 homes destroyed," the ministry said in statement on its Facebook.

Eyewitnesses said areas south of Khartoum witnessed intensive bombardment by the Sudanese army's air force, while the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) responded with anti-aircraft guns.

In the meantime, the RSF announced that it shot down a Sudanese army MiG plane.

"The army's warplanes attacked a number of residential neighborhoods south of Khartoum, namely Mayo, Al-Yarmouk and Mandela neighborhoods, killing and injuring dozens of people," the RSF said in a statement.

The Sudanese army has not yet commented on the RSF claim of shooting down an army military plane.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly armed clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF in Khartoum and other areas since April 15, which has left 958 dead and 4,746 others injured, according to the latest update by the Sudanese Doctors' Union. Enditem

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