Activists: 450 killed in RSF attack on Hilaliya, Central Sudan

Sudanese activists announced on Tuesday that the death toll in the city of Hilaliya in Al-Jezira State, Central Sudan, has risen to 450 as a result of the attacks and siege of the city by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been ongoing for around 20 days.

In recent days, there have been growing local and international accusations directed at the RSF for “committing violations and mass killings” against civilians in Al-Jezira State (central). The RSF has not yet commented on this.

Clashes between the RSF and the Sudanese army in Al-Jezira State restarted on 20 October following the defection of RSF leader Abu Aqla Kikal, who announced his joining the army forces.

In December 2023, the RSF, led by Kikal, took control of several cities in Al-Jezira, including Wadi Madani, the state capital.

The RSF currently controls large parts of the state, except for the city of Manaqil and surrounding areas extending southward to the borders of Sennar State and westward to the borders of White Nile State.

Nidaa Al-Wasat, a Sudanese civil entity that includes a group of activists, reported on Tuesday: “After 19 days of the RSF besieging citizens in the city of Hilaliya, the number of martyrs has reached 450, including children. With every passing moment, tragic news arrives of our loss of more residents due to the siege and the conditions imposed on them by the RSF and their leaders.”

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The statement listed the names of the 450 victims, expecting the numbers to rise.

On Monday, Nidaa Al-Wasat confirmed that the death toll in Hilaliya had reached 350: “20 martyrs of whom died from being shot, and 330 as a result of poisoning and deteriorating health.”

After the Sudanese Foreign Ministry accused the RSF on Thursday of killing 120 civilians in the city of Hilaliya, the Sudanese Doctors Syndicate announced on Friday that the death toll had risen to 200.

The RSF continues to attack Hilaliya, one of the largest cities in eastern Al-Jezira State and impose a siege on tens of thousands of its residents.

For its part, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Tuesday that tens of thousands of civilians had been displaced from parts of Al-Jezira State since 20 October following a wave of armed violence and attacks in the region, citing reports of: “The killing of civilians and the injury of others due to poisoned food in the city of Hilaliya, east of Al-Jezira State.”

The UN office added in a statement: “About 135,400 people were displaced from Al-Jezira and arrived in the states of Gedaref, Kassala (east) and the Nile River (north) as of October 30.”

Since mid-April 2023, the Sudanese army and the RSF have been waging a war that has left more than 20,000 dead and more than 13 million displaced and refugees, according to UN and local authorities’ estimates.

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