According to rescuers on Wednesday, Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have killed at least 50 people in Khartoum in the last week, as the battle with the army for control of the city escalates.
The Khartoum Emergency Response Room, which is part of a network of volunteers organising relief around Sudan, said in a statement that “Khartoum is experiencing tragic conditions, with citizens in multiple areas facing widespread violations by the RSF and allied militias.”
The group reported that in the last week, about 70 people—including 12 volunteers—had been kidnapped and that the number of people who were forced to relocate had significantly increased in the east, south, and centre of the capital.
The group added that although there had been reports of sexual violence, the precise number was still unknown because of social stigma and fear.
Seven children have died since the beginning of March due to malnutrition, which had reached “dangerous” levels, it added.
Malnutrition is predicted to affect over 3.2 million children in Sudan this year, according to the United Nations Children’s Agency, UNICEF.
An assessment supported by the United Nations has declared famine in areas of the Nuba mountains in the south and three displacement camps in the western part of Darfur.
Since it started in April 2023, the conflict between the army and the RSF has intensified, with the army attempting to retake territory in Khartoum and beyond.
In a video posted on Telegram on Saturday, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo said his forces “will not leave the Republican Palace” while donning the kadamol headdress, which is frequently worn by RSF combatants.
As it moves closer to retaking the city, the army announced Monday that its soldiers moving in from the south have joined forces in the middle of the capital, putting more pressure on opposing paramilitary fighters.
The conflict has caused the greatest famine and displacement crisis in the world, uprooted over 12 million people, and killed tens of thousands of people nationwide.
The United Nations reports that at least 100,000 people are experiencing severe starvation circumstances and that at least 3.5 million people have been displaced from their homes as a result of the violence in Khartoum alone.
