A senior UN official has voiced grave concerns over reports of mass killings and violence against civilians in Sudan’s central Gezira state. Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, described the situation as “atrocious crimes” following reports that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have killed at least 124 civilians in recent attacks on villages, according to an activist group.
The RSF, however, denies targeting civilians, asserting that its forces are engaging in clashes with militias backed by the Sudanese military. The conflict in Sudan, which has been ongoing for 18 months, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over 11 million people.
The escalation in Gezira follows a recent high-profile defection of RSF commander Abu Aqla Kayka, who joined the Sudanese military, bringing a large contingent of his forces. In response, the RSF declared it would defend itself “decisively” against any armed opponents.
Ms. Nkweta-Salami reported that between October 20 and 25, RSF forces allegedly executed a large-scale assault in Gezira, leading to mass killings, rapes, widespread looting, and the destruction of farms. She drew parallels to previous violence in Sudan’s Darfur region, where the RSF faced accusations of “ethnic cleansing” against communities opposing their influence.
The Wad Madani Resistance Committee, advocating for peace and democracy in Sudan, has described the RSF’s actions as “extensive massacres” occurring across multiple villages. Meanwhile, the Sudanese doctors’ union has called on the UN to establish humanitarian corridors, warning that civilians face “genocide” without intervention and criticizing the army’s inability to protect them.
The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023 following a fallout between RSF leader Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and Sudanese military leader Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The two generals, former allies in a 2021 coup that disrupted Sudan’s democratic transition, have since been locked in a fierce power struggle, resisting peace efforts by the US and Saudi Arabia.