Sudan’s army has vowed to deliver a “harsh response” to an attack on a village by the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that left more than 100 people dead, according to pro-democracy activists. The attack, which took place in Wad al-Noura village in Gezira State, has sparked outrage and condemnation from the international community.
The RSF, which has been involved in a series of attacks on small villages across the farming state, took control of the capital Wad Madani in December. The army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been criticized for not responding to pleas for help during the attack on Wednesday.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned the attack, calling on all parties to refrain from any actions that could harm civilians or damage civilian infrastructure. The top U.N. official in Sudan has called for an investigation into the incident, describing the images emerging from Wad al-Noura as “heart-breaking.”
The Wad Madani Resistance Committee, which has been tracking such attacks, reported that 104 people were killed and hundreds were injured in Wad al-Noura. The RSF has been accused of using heavy artillery against civilians, looting, and driving women and children to seek refuge in nearby towns.
The RSF, in a statement, claimed that it had attacked army and allied militia bases around Wad al-Noura, resulting in the loss of eight soldiers. The army-aligned Transitional Sovereign Council has condemned the attack, calling it a “criminal act” that reflects the systematic behavior of the militias in targeting civilians.
The conflict between the RSF and the army began in April 2023 over disputes regarding the integration of the two forces. The RSF has since taken control of Khartoum and most of western Sudan, with reports indicating that they are now seeking to advance into the center of the country.
As the people of Sudan face an “imminent risk of famine,” according to United Nations agencies, the international community is calling for an end to the violence and a commitment to a path towards sustainable peace. The situation in Sudan remains volatile, with ongoing clashes and attacks threatening the lives of civilians and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.