Sudan’s army announced on Thursday it would deliver a “harsh response” to an attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on a village, which pro-democracy activists said resulted in over 100 deaths.*
The attack on Wednesday in the village of Wad al-Noura in Gezira State is the largest in a series of assaults by RSF soldiers on small villages since they took control of the capital Wad Madani in December. This vow comes after local activists earlier accused the army of not responding to pleas for help during the attack.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the attack. “The Secretary-General urges all parties to refrain from any attacks that could harm civilians or damage civilian infrastructure,” said U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. Guterres expressed deep concern over the continued hostilities and stressed the need for all parties to commit to sustainable peace.
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, called for an investigation into the attack. “Even by the tragic standards of Sudan’s conflict, the images emerging from Wad Al-Noura are heart-breaking,” she said. The Wad Madani Resistance Committee, which has been monitoring the attacks, reported 104 deaths and hundreds of injuries, with the RSF advancing towards other villages.
The committee said in a statement, “Wad al-Noura village … witnessed a genocide on Wednesday after the RSF attacked twice.”
The RSF began its conflict with the Sudanese army in April 2023 over disputes related to the integration of the two forces. Since then, the RSF has captured Khartoum and much of western Sudan and is now attempting to extend its control to central Sudan. The United Nations has warned that the Sudanese population is at “imminent risk of famine” due to the ongoing hostilities.
Melissa Enoch
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