RSF attacks kill 50 in Khartoum amid intensifying conflict

At least 50 people have been killed in Khartoum over the past week due to attacks by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to rescuers.

The violence is escalating as fighting between the RSF and the Sudanese army for control of the capital continues.

The Khartoum Emergency Response Room, a network of volunteers coordinating aid across Sudan, reported that citizens in various areas of the capital are facing severe violations by the RSF and its allied militias. The group also stated that about 70 people, including 12 volunteers, have been abducted in the past week, and forced displacement in central, southern, and eastern parts of Khartoum has sharply increased.

In addition to the violence, reports of sexual assault have surfaced, although exact numbers remain unclear due to social stigma and fear. Malnutrition has also reached critical levels, with seven children dying since the start of March. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that approximately 3.2 million children in Sudan are expected to suffer from malnutrition this year.

Famine has been declared in three displacement camps in Darfur’s western region and parts of the Nuba mountains in the south, according to a UN-backed assessment.

The conflict, which began in April 2023, has intensified in recent months. The army is aiming to regain control of Khartoum and surrounding areas. In a recent video address, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo vowed that his forces would not leave the Republican Palace.

The army has reported progress in its efforts to push toward Khartoum from the south, increasing pressure on RSF fighters and edging closer to retaking the capital.

The ongoing war has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over 12 million people, creating one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. In Khartoum alone, at least 3.5 million people have been displaced, and over 100,000 are facing acute famine, according to the United Nations.