Paramilitary Fighters Massacre More Than 100 Civilians, Doctors’ Group Says
In a brutal attack on the city of Nahud, paramilitary forces known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have killed over 100 civilians, including 21 children, amidst the ongoing civil war in Sudan. Communication with Nahud has been disrupted, complicating verification of the exact death toll, which Al Hadath and Al Jazeera report differently. The RSF, having been ousted from the capital Khartoum, is aggressively expanding its control in Darfur and southern regions, declaring its own government, raising fears of a potential division of Sudan akin to Libya. The massacre has stripped Nahud of its medical resources and infrastructure, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Despite international condemnation and calls for peace, the conflict continues to intensify, with widespread atrocities and no resolution in sight.
The Rapid Support Forces attacked Nahud, a city previously held by the Sudanese military, resulting in the deaths of over 100 civilians, including 21 children and 15 women, as reported by the Sudan Doctors Network.
Communication with Nahud has been largely cut off, making independent verification of the death toll difficult; reports vary significantly, with Al Hadath citing 230 deaths and Al Jazeera reporting 19 dead and 37 wounded.
The RSF has declared a parallel government in regions it controls, following their expulsion from Khartoum, and has been conducting a major offensive to capture all of Darfur, signaling a potential long-term partition of Sudan.
The attack on Nahud resulted in the looting of medical supplies, markets, pharmacies, and a hospital, crippling the city's healthcare system and leaving patients without necessary medical services.
Eyewitness accounts describe widespread looting and violence, with videos on social media showing RSF commanders leading the attack, and reports of individuals, including a market driver, being killed by random gunfire.
The Sudan War Monitor reports that the military lost Nahud to the RSF, a critical loss in their efforts to reclaim territory in Darfur, though military spokespeople deny this claim.
Despite international pressure and warnings from officials like U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk, the conflict shows little sign of abating, with both the RSF and Sudanese military facing accusations of severe human rights violations.