At least 300 people were killed in a span of two days following brutal attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the city of Al-Nuhood in West Kordofan State, southwestern Sudan, according to a statement released Saturday by the Sudanese Foreign Ministry.
The government has accused the RSF of carrying out “crimes against humanity,” alleging that the killings were ethnically motivated. The ministry described the assaults as part of a broader pattern of violence that has plagued several regions of Sudan since the outbreak of conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in April 2023.
“These atrocities were committed on an ethnic basis and amount to crimes against humanity,” the ministry said. “The international community, and particularly the UN Security Council, must stop its leniency toward the RSF and take immediate action to prevent further bloodshed.”
The RSF, which evolved from the infamous Janjaweed militias accused of widespread atrocities in Darfur, has not issued any statement responding to the latest allegations. Previous reports from human rights organizations have highlighted a pattern of targeted attacks by RSF forces, especially in regions with ethnically diverse populations.
Al-Nuhood, a relatively quiet town before the conflict, has seen rising tensions in recent months as the RSF expanded its operations in West Kordofan. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos, with homes burned and families forced to flee. Humanitarian agencies say the ongoing violence has displaced thousands, further complicating aid access in an already volatile region.
The United Nations has repeatedly warned of a deepening humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where millions are in need of urgent assistance. Yet efforts to broker a lasting ceasefire between the RSF and SAF have failed amid accusations, counter-accusations, and a deteriorating security environment.
Calls are now growing for stronger international intervention. The Sudanese government insists that the RSF must be held accountable under international law and that protecting civilians must be a top priority for global actors.
As of now, the world watches in alarm as Sudan continues its descent into deeper turmoil.
