At least 150 villagers are feared dead in a brutal attack on Wad al-Nourah, a village in Sudan’s Gezira state. The blame falls on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group locked in a bloody power struggle with the Sudanese army for over a year.
The RSF has yet to address the accusations, but recent pronouncements boasted of attacks on army positions. Graphic footage, filmed by activists and shared online, shows numerous bodies wrapped in white shrouds, prepared for a solemn burial in the wake of Wednesday’s raid.
The identity of the Madani Resistance Committee, the group that documented the aftermath, paints a grim picture. Part of a nationwide network advocating for civilian rule, they grimly await confirmation of the casualty toll.
The exact circumstances surrounding the killings remain shrouded in confusion. Reports suggest the village endured a double assault by RSF fighters on Wednesday.
“The situation is chaotic,” said Hafiz Mohamad of Justice Africa Sudan, a leading human rights organization. He spoke of numerous missing villagers and the chilling reality that a full body count is hampered by the continued presence of RSF forces looting the area.
Sudan’s embattled military government has demanded international condemnation of the attack. The RSF’s takeover of Gezira in December has been marred by accusations of widespread civilian abuse, which they vehemently deny.
Meanwhile, fierce fighting continues between the RSF and the military in El Fasher, a city in war-torn Darfur. The conflict, sparked by a power struggle between two military leaders, has ignited a humanitarian catastrophe.
The UN estimates that over 15,000 lives have been lost since the conflict began in April 2023. Repeated attempts at peace talks have proven fruitless. The ongoing violence has triggered the world’s largest displacement crisis, pushing millions towards the brink of famine.
“Up to five million people could be facing famine,” warned Martin Griffiths, the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs.
