At least 21 people were killed and over 70 others injured in a shelling attack at a busy market in Sennar, southeastern Sudan, according to the Sudan Doctors Network. The attack, which occurred on Sunday, was attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have been condemned by the network as responsible for this “massacre” of civilians.
The shelling took place just a day after Sudan’s military rejected a UN proposal to deploy an international force aimed at protecting civilians. Since the outbreak of civil war last April between the Sudanese army and the RSF, the conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced over 10 million people, creating one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
Despite several attempts at peace talks mediated by Saudi Arabia and the US, the conflict remains unresolved. The RSF, which controls Khartoum and much of Darfur, has been accused of committing war crimes, including ethnic cleansing against non-Arab communities. It has also seized most of the state of Sennar, a region crucial for its proximity to Ethiopia and South Sudan and its agricultural output.
Both the RSF and the army are under scrutiny for alleged atrocities against civilians, with the UN recently indicating that the actions of both sides may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Sudanese government, however, has dismissed these findings, labeling the UN Human Rights Council’s mission as politically motivated and illegal.
The RSF has not yet responded to the allegations. Meanwhile, a UN arms embargo in Darfur has failed to prevent the flow of new weapons into the conflict, with reports indicating that fighters are using advanced weaponry from various countries, including China, Iran, Russia, Serbia, and the UAE.
The Sudanese army, supported by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and the RSF, which is allegedly backed by the UAE, continue to battle for control. The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, is striving to enhance its international standing by engaging in peace talks, though these efforts have been met with resistance from the army.