In two harrowing days of military and paramilitary confrontations in Sudan, at least 176 individuals have lost their lives, according to a compilation of casualty figures provided by officials, activists, and legal representatives. This alarming toll highlights the ongoing violence that has plagued the nation since the onset of conflict in April 2023.
On Tuesday, Omdurman, one of the cities forming part of the Sudanese capital, witnessed devastating shelling by paramilitary forces, resulting in the deaths of at least 65 individuals and leaving hundreds injured. The governor of the state, aligned with the army, condemned the attacks, explicitly blaming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for a particular shell strike that hit a passenger bus, claiming it dismembered the victims and killed everyone on board. Khartoum’s governor, Ahmed Othman Hamza, referred to such incidents as the actions of a “terrorist militia.”
This assault followed a previous day’s army airstrike on a market in Kabkabiya, a town in North Darfur, which the pro-democracy Emergency Lawyers reported left over 100 people dead. The airstrike occurred on a day when local residents gathered for shopping, causing widespread panic and grief in the community, especially among women and children. Further reports indicated that six more individuals lost their lives in North Kordofan when a drone crashed and subsequently exploded on November 26.
The situation in the famine-stricken Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur has also worsened, with paramilitary shelling killing five residents. A United Nations-backed report released in July had already warned about famine conditions in the camp following a prolonged RSF siege of the state capital, El-Fasher, and its surroundings.
The ongoing battle between the RSF and the regular army has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties, uprooted approximately 12 million individuals, and created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations. Khartoum has suffered immense destruction, with control over the city still fiercely contested between both factions. Currently, the army controls most of Omdurman, while the RSF has established dominance in Khartoum North (Bahri) and various regions across the country.
Eyewitness reports describe the shelling in Omdurman as fierce and relentless, with artillery strikes observed from multiple locations throughout the area. One resident remarked that the level of bombing was unprecedented in recent months, while another noted the bombardment seemed concentrated around positions held by the RSF.
In the expansive Darfur region, home to a significant portion of Sudan’s population and more than half of its displaced persons, the conflict has unfolded with tragic consequences. Footage purportedly showing the aftermath of the airstrike on the market depicted scenes of devastation, as survivors sifted through wreckage and the grim sight of charred remains became evident.
Despite the RSF’s use of drones, the Sudanese military maintains aerial supremacy with its fighter jets, further complicating the dynamics of the conflict. In response to recent attacks, the army accused the RSF and their political affiliates of misrepresentation, insisting that their strikes are aimed at military targets. However, human rights groups have labeled these actions as flagrant violations, characterizing them as “horrendous massacres” aimed squarely at densely populated residential districts.
Both the RSF and the regular army face allegations of executing indiscriminate attacks on civilians, causing pivotal humanitarian distress. Recently, Human Rights Watch released a statement condemning the RSF and allied militias for numerous violations against civilians in South Kordofan, detailing accusations of war crimes, including killings, rapes, and abductions.
The organization has called upon international bodies like the United Nations and the African Union to take immediate steps to safeguard civilians caught in the crossfire of this escalating conflict, highlighting the urgent need for a protective mission in Sudan.
