RSF attacks kill 96 south of Sudan’s Omdurman, triggering displacement

April 2, 2025 (OMDURMAN) – Attacks by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have killed at least 96 people over four days in villages south of Omdurman, triggering large-scale displacement, a local community spokesperson said on Wednesday.

The attacks on villages in Omdurman locality’s southern countryside followed the withdrawal of RSF fighters from the nearby Jebel Aulia area after the Sudanese army regained control of areas south of the capital Khartoum, according to the spokesperson.

Saif al-Din Ahmed, spokesperson for the local Al-Jumu’iya community group, told local media outlet Sudan Tribune the death toll stood at 96 with more than 70 injured across the affected villages as of Wednesday.

Ahmed told the outlet he expected the death toll to rise further, citing difficulties in counting victims due to ongoing attacks and severed communications networks.

He accused RSF soldiers of storming homes, stealing money, cars, crops, gold jewellery, and solar power systems. Residents were fleeing towards the Jebel Aulia area, many on foot after their vehicles were looted, Ahmed said.

He said RSF forces stormed the villages of al-Hajjab, al-Sandodab, Sheikh al-Bashir, al-Faki Ali, al-Maqdad, Eid al-Hadd, al-Suleimaniya, al-Ghurza, Hillat Salem, Samra, and Kadi.

The area experienced widespread abuses by the RSF early in the conflict, which began between the army and the RSF in April 2023. A subsequent agreement between local leaders and the RSF had reportedly barred fighters from entering the villages in exchange for residents not impeding RSF movement on a key nearby road, but that deal appears to have collapsed.