150 Villagers Dead in 'Devastating' Sudan Massacre

At least 150 villagers, 35 of whom are children, are feared dead after a massacre in central Sudan, with the blame pointing to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group fighting the army.

For over 13 months, the rivals have been battling for control of the country.

While they haven't claimed responsibility for the attack, on Thursday, the RSF announced they had ambushed two army positions, according to the BBC.

An alleged video that is circulating on social media shows dozens of bodies wrapped in white veils in preparation for burial in Gezira state.

The Madani Resistance Committee is currently waiting for a confirmed toll of dead and injured. UNICEF reports that 35 children have so far been killed, with more than 20 others suffering from injuries. Catherine Russell, UNICEF's executive director, called scenes from the ground "devastating." "This is yet another grim reminder of how the children of Sudan are paying the price for the brutal violence," she wrote in a post on X.

Thousands of children have been killed and injured, more than five million have been forced from their homes, and others have been recruited, abducted, and raped over the past year, according to Russell.

Hafiz Mohamad, from leading human rights group Justice Africa Sudan, has told the BBC that many more people are still missing but that it was "difficult to count all the dead" because "RSF elements are still around the area looting."

Meanwhile, in El Fasher, a city located in Darfur in western Sudan, fierce battles persist between the RSF and the military. It's estimated that more than 15,000 people have been killed across the country since the conflict began in April 2023.

UN agencies report that the fighting has triggered the world's largest displacement crisis, with millions now facing a hunger catastrophe.

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron condemned the "assault on innocent people" and blamed the RSF in a post on X.

"The RSF must stop these attacks," he said. "The world is watching. Those responsible will be held to account."

In December, the RSF seized control of Gezira state, located to the south of the capital, Khartoum, and has been accused of committing numerous abuses against civilians.

The paramilitary group continues to deny the accusations.

Tags

Sudan, Massacre, Darfur