At least 127 people have died in Sudan in two days
At least 127 people have died in Sudan in two days due to escalating violence between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), marking one of the bloodiest episodes in the 20-month-old conflict. The Emergency Lawyers group reports that an army airstrike on a market in Kabkabiya, North Darfur, killed over 100 civilians and injured hundreds more, though the military denies responsibility.
The attack occurred during a weekly market day when residents from nearby villages had gathered to shop. Footage allegedly showing the aftermath revealed people searching through rubble and charred remains of children, though the authenticity hasn't been independently verified.
In separate incidents, barrel bombs struck three neighborhoods in Nyala, South Darfur, and a drone crash explosion in North Kordofan state killed six people. Additionally, RSF paramilitary shelling of a bus in Khartoum resulted in at least 15 deaths.
Human Rights Watch has accused the RSF and allied Arab militias of committing war crimes in South Kordofan state, including killings, rapes, and abductions of ethnic Nuba residents between December 2023 and March 2024.
The conflict has pushed Sudan to the brink of famine, with about half of its population – nearly 26 million people – facing starvation. Darfur, home to a quarter of Sudan's population, has been particularly hard hit, with more than half of its 10 million residents displaced. A UN-backed report in July confirmed famine conditions in Zamzam refugee camp following months of RSF siege.
Aid organizations are calling for increased protection of civilian infrastructure and humanitarian access, while the UN and African Union face pressure to deploy a civilian protection mission.
