Death toll in East Al Jazirah exceeds 1,000, says monitoring group

November 27, 2024 (EAST AL JAZIRAH) – The death toll in Sudan’s East Al Jazirah region has surpassed 1,000, a local monitoring group said on Wednesday, with many perishing from violence inflicted by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) or a lack of access to healthcare due to the ongoing conflict.

The Al Jazirah Conference, a civilian entity documenting rights violations, said in a statement that fatalities have been rising in areas under RSF siege.

“The number of martyrs who have fallen by RSF bullets, or due to poisoning, the spread of diseases, and the lack of healthcare… has risen,” the statement said.

The city of Hilaliya has suffered the highest number of casualties, with 610 deaths reported. Wad Asheeb has recorded 56 deaths, primarily due to the lack of medical access. In Rufaa, the death toll has reached at least 128, with some sources indicating it could exceed 300.

The RSF has been accused of widespread abuses in the region since Oct. 20, including mass killings, forced displacement, rape, and the looting of property and resources.

The Al Jazirah Conference reported that the RSF has looted medical facilities, burned agricultural land and crops, and plundered markets. Villages in East Al Jazirah remain under siege, facing dire health and food shortages.

The RSF has also restricted movement in and out of the region, preventing residents from leaving, the statement said.