Fighters from Sudan’s paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), carried out a brutal rampage in the central village of Galgani, looting, burning, and killing at least 85 people, including women and children. The attack, which began in late July, saw RSF fighters indiscriminately open fire on the unarmed residents after they resisted attempts to abduct and sexually assault women and girls. More than 150 villagers were wounded in the violence, which is just the latest atrocity in Sudan’s 18-month devastating conflict. The RSF has been accused of massacres, rapes, and other gross violations across the country since the conflict began in April last year.
Eyewitnesses described the hours-long attack in Galgani, where hundreds of RSF fighters stormed the village, looting and burning houses and public properties. The assault came after the residents put up resistance and repelled an initial attack by a small group of fighters. However, the RSF returned with hundreds of fighters in pickup trucks armed with automatic rifles and heavy weapons. As of Friday, the local medical center had received at least 80 bodies, including women and minors. The villagers were unable to recover their dead due to the presence of RSF fighters in the area.
This recent attack is not an isolated incident, as the RSF has been involved in other violent incidents across Sudan. In June, they assaulted the provincial capital of Singa, looting the city’s main market and taking over the main hospital, leading to thousands of people fleeing the area. The United States has been leading efforts to resume peace talks between the military and the RSF, although the talks have been boycotted by the military. The conflict has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people and has pushed the country to the brink of famine.
The international community has condemned the atrocities committed in Sudan, with reports of mass rape and ethnically motivated killings that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. The conflict has also resulted in the world’s largest displacement crisis, with over 10.7 million people forced to flee their homes since fighting began. More than 2 million of them have sought refuge in neighboring countries. Efforts to settle the conflict and bring peace to Sudan have been ongoing, with diplomats from various countries and organizations involved in peace talks aimed at ending the violence and humanitarian crisis in the country.
