The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have allegedly killed over 200 people in a three-day assault south of Khartoum, according to local rights group Emergency Lawyers network.
The Emergency Lawyers network reported that the attacks took place in al-Kadaris and al-Khelwat, located to the north of White Nile state—areas where the military had no presence.
According to the group, the RSF engaged in “field executions, abductions, forced disappearances, and lootings.” Some victims reportedly drowned while attempting to flee across the Nile River under gunfire, leading the group to describe the events as a “massacre.”
The army-backed government reports a death toll more than double that of the local rights group. The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that so far, 433 people, including infants, have been killed.
The RSF, formerly allied with the Sudanese military, has been embroiled in a brutal conflict with the army since April 2023, following a fallout over a plan to transition towards civilian governance. This internal power struggle has plunged Sudan into widespread violence, with both factions accused of severe human rights violations.
The recent attacks by RSF coincides with reports that senior RSF leaders are convening in Nairobi, Kenya, to discuss forming a rival government in territories under their control, primarily in Darfur and parts of Kordofan state.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Sudan’s military had taken control of significant areas in the capital, Khartoum, as it pressed its offensive against the RSF.
Army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan earlier said Sudan’s military plans to establish a new government once Khartoum is fully recaptured from the RSF.
Burhan emphasized that the new government would focus on liberating Sudan from rebel forces. The military’s plan also includes forming a transitional government, appointing a civilian prime minister, and initiating a national dialogue with political and civil society groups.
The United Nations estimates that approximately 12 million people have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, with tens of thousands of civilian casualties reported.
The United States earlier imposed sanctions on RSF leaders, accusing the group of committing genocide.
