An attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in central Sudan has led to the deaths of at least 100 people, as reported by a pro-democracy activist group. This incident, one of the deadliest in the ongoing conflict, took place in the village of Wad al-Noura in the Gezira state. The Madani Resistance Committee confirmed that the RSF launched a two-wave assault on the village, resulting in a tragic loss of life and widespread devastation.
Eyewitnesses recounted scenes of terror as RSF fighters, using heavy weaponry and over 40 armed vehicles, descended upon Wad al-Noura. The assault left 150 people dead and 200 injured, with most of the victims being civilians, including women and children. One witness described the grim task of burying more than 120 people in a mass grave in the village. The exact number of casualties remains unverified, but the scale of the attack has been confirmed by multiple sources.
The RSF acknowledged the attack in a statement, describing it as a pre-emptive strike against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). They claimed it was in response to a planned attack by the army. However, eyewitnesses refuted this, stating that there was no military presence in the village, although there is a military base approximately 30 kilometers southwest of Wad al-Noura. The RSF reported eight of their fighters were killed and several others injured during the operation. They also claimed to have seized vehicles, weapons, and military equipment.
This attack is the latest atrocity in a year-long war that has displaced over 7 million people. Since the conflict erupted in April 2023, both the SAF and the RSF have been accused of committing massacres and targeting civilians. The violence has particularly affected villages in the Al-Jazira state, Sudan’s agricultural heartland, where the RSF has reportedly used forced conscription and hunger as weapons to swell its ranks and control the population.
Local and international reactions to the attack have been swift and condemnatory. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, SAF Commander-in-Chief and President of the Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council, vowed severe retaliation against the RSF. "The response to the militia’s crimes against the martyrs of Wad al-Noura will be severe and harsh," he stated, after visiting survivors of the attack.
The Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council condemned the RSF’s actions, describing them as part of a systematic campaign of violence against civilians. "This heinous crime is added to the series of crimes committed by this rebel militia in many states of Sudan. These are criminal acts that reflect the systematic behavior of these militias in targeting civilians, plundering their property, and forcibly displacing them from their areas," the Council stated.
The international community has also voiced deep concern over the escalating violence. A UN representative called for a thorough investigation and accountability for those responsible. "Even by the tragic standards of Sudan’s conflict, the images emerging from Wad al-Noura are heart-breaking. Wars have rules that need to be respected, no matter what," said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned that the number of people displaced by conflict inside Sudan could top 10 million in the coming days. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted that over 8.8 million people have already fled their homes, with 24.8 million urgently needing assistance. The situation has been described as the world's worst internal displacement crisis, with looming famine and disease exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe.
The attack on Wad al-Noura underscores the severe and ongoing crisis in Sudan. As the conflict between the SAF and the RSF continues, the toll on civilians remains devastating. The international community’s call for peace and accountability highlights the urgent need for a resolution to this brutal conflict.
