Who was behind one of the deadliest attacks in Sudan?

In one of the deadliest attacks on civilians since the Sudanese conflict escalated, over 100 people were killed in the village of Wad al-Nourah, according to local resistance volunteers. The attack occurred on June 5, and survivors described a harrowing four-hour bombardment followed by another assault the next morning. The village, located in Gezira state, was targeted by heavily armed men, believed to be members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group in conflict with the Sudanese army. Ali Ibrahim, a 40-year-old farmer, recounted the terror, saying, “We are simple farmers. We’ve never carried weapons. We have no enemies." Survivors accuse the RSF of storming their village, killing civilians, and looting homes. The RSF, which took control of Gezira state in December 2023, has been repeatedly accused of war crimes, including killing, looting, and burning villages. In this particular attack, villagers claim RSF fighters opened fire, attacked from three directions, and stole valuables like gold, cars, and crops.

The BBC spoke to several survivors now receiving treatment at Al Managil government hospital, about 80km from the village. Testimonies suggest the RSF also blocked villagers from escaping, worsening the chaos. Hamad Suleiman, a trader who lost family members in the attack, described the horror of seeing his brother and nephew shot dead. He attempted to reason with the RSF fighters but was met with violence.

The RSF has denied targeting civilians, claiming they were only engaging with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and an aligned militia, Al Mustanfaron. However, video analysis conducted by the BBC found that RSF forces fired heavy weapons from positions outside the village. Despite the RSF’s denial, thousands of civilians have been caught in the crossfire of the ongoing conflict, with over 10 million displaced since the war erupted in April 2023. Calls for a comprehensive investigation into the attack are growing, with UN officials demanding accountability. The villagers of Wad al-Nourah, who have lost dozens of loved ones, hope the perpetrators will finally face justice.