Sudan’s notorious paramilitary group kills 54 people in attack on open market

At least 54 people were killed and 158 sustained injuries after a notorious paramilitary group fighting against the Sudan’s military attacked an open market in the city of Omdurman on Saturday.

The Rapid Support Forces launched the deadly attack on the Sabrein Market in Omdurman .

The market, bustling with civilians, was struck with heavy artillery, leading to a high number of casualties, including women and children.

Local healthcare facilities, already overwhelmed by the ongoing conflict, were unable to accommodate the surging number of injured and deceased victims.

There was no immediate comment from the RSF.

Khalid al-Aleisir, minister of culture and government spokesperson, condemned the attack, saying that the casualties included many women and children. He also said the attack caused “widespread destruction to private and public properties”.

“This criminal act adds to the bloody record of this militia,” he said in a statement. “It constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.”

Condemning the RSF’s brutal assault, Sudan’s Doctors Syndicate said one shell hit metres away from al-Naw hospital, which received most of the market casualties.

It said most of the bodies taken to the hospital were of women and children, adding that the hospital has a significant shortage of medical teams, especially surgeons and nurses.

The conflict, that started in April 2023, revolves around the tensions between the leaders of the Sudan’s military and the RSF.

Since then, the capital, Khartoum, and other cities across the sprawling northeastern African country have seen open fighting between the military and the RSF.

Due to the conflict, more than 28,000 people have been killed and millions were forced to flee their homes.

Last week, about 70 people were killed in a RSF attack on the only functional hospital in the besieged city of El Fasher in the western region of Darfur.

In recent months the RSF has suffered multiple battlefield blows, giving the military the upper hand in the war. It has lost control of many areas in Khartoum, the capital’s sister city of Omdurman, and the eastern and central provinces.