Sudan: RSF fighters kill over 120 in brutal Gezira Province Attack

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have conducted a devastating multi-day attack in Sudan’s Gezira province, killing more than 120 people and forcing over 46,500 residents to flee.

Between October 20 and 25, RSF fighters terrorized villages and towns, shooting civilians and committing sexual violence against women and girls. The United Nations reported widespread looting of private and public properties, including markets.

The rampage followed recent RSF setbacks in the area. IOM Director General Amy Pope emphasized the urgent need for international intervention, warning that millions of lives hang in the balance. The Sudanese Doctors’ Union documented at least 124 deaths and 200 injuries in Sariha town alone, with 150 others detained.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator Clementine Nkweta-Salami compared the attacks to the Darfur genocide, where the RSF’s predecessor, the Janjaweed militias, committed similar atrocities. The violence intensified after a top RSF commander defected to the military.

Footage shared online, some by RSF fighters themselves, showed paramilitary members abusing detained civilians.

The attack occurred as the military had successfully reclaimed areas from RSF control, including strategic positions in Gezira and nearby provinces. The ongoing conflict, which began in April 2023, has killed over 24,000 people and pushed Sudan toward famine.

International rights groups have documented widespread atrocities amounting to war crimes, particularly in Darfur.