CAIRO — Recent reports indicate that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan have been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of civilians, including infants, in the White Nile state, according to Sudanese officials and human rights organizations.
A statement from Sudan’s Foreign Ministry revealed that the RSF targeted civilians in the al-Gitaina region after suffering significant losses against the Sudanese army. The ministry reported at least 433 fatalities, while the Sudan Doctors’ Trade Union’s Preliminary Committee estimated the number to be around 300.
Emergency Lawyers, a rights organization monitoring violence against civilians, also stated that over 200 individuals, including women and children, were killed in RSF assaults over the course of the last three days, with many more injured. Their statement detailed horrific acts including executions, kidnappings, forced disappearances, looting, and attacks on those attempting to flee.
Khalid Ali Aleisir, Sudan’s Minister of Culture and Information, voiced concerns on social media, denoting the recent RSF attacks in the villages of Al-Kadaris and Al-Khalwat as part of a continued pattern of violence against vulnerable civilians.
On Saturday, the Sudanese military announced progress in White Nile state, claiming it had liberated several towns and cities while severing crucial supply lines to the RSF. This armed conflict between the RSF and the military has persisted since April 2023, claiming over 24,000 lives and displacing over 14 million people—nearly 30% of the nation’s population, as reported by the United Nations. Additionally, around 3.2 million Sudanese have sought refuge in neighboring nations.
The UN human rights office documented more than 4,200 civilian deaths throughout 2024, stating that the actual figure may be significantly higher. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has urgently requested $6 billion to address the humanitarian needs in Sudan for 2025, aiming to assist approximately 21 million individuals in the country and those who have fled the conflict.
Tom Fletcher, the UN aid chief, described the situation as an extraordinary humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale, highlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive response.
In response to the escalating violence, Norway’s Minister for International Development, Åsmund Aukrust, expressed his profound concern over the rising civilian death toll due to intensified conflict, condemning indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations and infrastructure, and called for an immediate cessation of such assaults.
As the conflict continues, the Sudanese military appears to have gained the upper hand, reclaiming control over multiple territories, including the capital city of Gezira province, Wad Medani, as well as the nation’s largest oil refinery. The RSF has seemingly lost control over key areas, including the Greater Khartoum region, along with the cities of Omdurman and Khartoum Bahri.
Despite ongoing international mediation efforts, the war shows no signs of resolution, with allegations of genocide against the RSF and its allies being raised by U.S. assessments.
