RSF Militias kill, kidnap dozens, and forcibly displace residents of 42 villages in Kordofan

The Humanitarian Aid Commissioner for North Kordofan State, Mohamed Ismail, has said that the number of displaced people (IDPs) in El-Obeid, the state capital, has risen to approximately 700,000 as a result of attacks carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia on villages around El-Obeid. Eighteen people were killed on Thursday by the militia, which attacked two areas in the same state.

The commissioner confirmed to Sudan Tribune that the militia’s attacks on villages near Om Sumaima, west of El-Obeid, led to the displacement of 5,000 families over the past week.

He added that the number of displaced people from the villages attacked by the militia has risen to more than 135,000 families, or approximately 700,000 IDPs in El-Obeid, noting that 70% of the IDPs in El-Obeid are being hosted in the city’s homes under extremely difficult conditions, which makes it hard to deliver aid and combat cholera.

The commissioner reported that the militia forcibly displaced residents of 42 villages west of Om Sumaima, where several battles took place in the Om Sumaima area between the Sudanese army and its allies on one side, and the militia on the other.

For its part, the Emergency Lawyers Group said on Saturday that an attack launched by the militia on two villages in North Kordofan State last Thursday resulted in the deaths of 18 civilians and the injury of dozens.

The Emergency Lawyers Group revealed, in a statement, that “the villages of Markaz al-Ziyadiya and Lamina al-Ziyadiya, south of Om Kreidim, were attacked by the militia the day before yesterday, Thursday, despite the absence of regular forces in the area, which put civilians in direct confrontation with the attacking force.”

They indicated that the attack resulted in the deaths of 18 civilians and the injury of dozens of others who were transported to the city of El-Obeid due to the lack of health services.

The group, which is active in exposing the crimes of the parties to the conflict, reported that the attacking force committed widespread violations, including the abuse of residents, the looting of property, and the abduction of dozens of young men.