The Sudanese foreign ministry has made grave accusations against paramilitary forces, alleging that at least 120 civilians lost their lives over a recent 48-hour period in Al-Jazira state, a region that was once known as Sudan’s breadbasket prior to the ongoing conflict. The statement from the ministry claims that the Janjaweed militia, referred to as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—which the government has been battling since April 2023—was responsible for a massacre in the town of Hilaliya. Victims reportedly succumbed to gunfire, food poisoning, and a severe lack of medical care that has impacted hundreds of civilians in the area.
The Doctors Union in Sudan has reported that the militia engaged in widespread looting, stripping residents of their possessions before detaining them inside mosques. Residents were allegedly released only after paying exorbitant fees that have become unattainable following the comprehensive theft of their belongings. Witnesses further describe the RSF as having enforced a siege on Hilaliya for nearly two weeks, effectively trapping residents and blocking their escape.
The RSF’s surge in violence appears to have escalated following the defection of one of their prominent commanders to the regular army. This spike in attacks reportedly led to the deaths of approximately 200 individuals in the same state last month, despite it being under the control of the army. The United Nations has reported alarming statistics, revealing that around 135,000 civilians have been displaced amid the increasing violence.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan sees a violent struggle between the regular army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, headed by former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The toll from this conflict has reached tens of thousands deceased, with over 11 million people displaced—3.1 million of whom have fled to neighboring countries, according to estimates from the International Organization for Migration. The situation continues to deteriorate as the humanitarian crisis deepens, with calls for intervention and support growing louder both within and outside of Sudan.
