15 civilians killed in Omdurman market by RSF shells

September 23, 2024 (OMDURMAN) – At least 15 civilians, including women and children, were killed and 61 others wounded on Monday when shells fired by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) struck a bustling market north of Omdurman, according to health officials.

The RSF attack marked the latest escalation in Sudan’s brutal conflict, which has ravaged the capital region for months.

The paramilitary group has repeatedly targeted the Sabreen market area in recent days, drawing condemnation from residents and humanitarian groups. Monday’s shelling, which hit the market and surrounding neighbourhoods, left bodies strewn amid the wreckage of stalls and shops.

“The RSF shelled the Sabreen market in Karari, which was crowded with citizens,” said Mohamed Ibrahim, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in Khartoum state. He added that the death toll was likely to rise as many of the wounded were in critical condition.

The attack prompted regular Sudanese forces to close the market, which had remained a rare hub of commercial activity despite the ongoing conflict. Witnesses described scenes of panic as people fled the shelling, some carrying the wounded in their arms.

The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemetti”, has been battling the Sudanese army, commanded by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, since April 2023. The conflict has displaced millions and triggered a humanitarian crisis, with widespread reports of human rights abuses by both sides.

The Sudanese air force responded to Monday’s shelling with airstrikes targeting RSF positions in the Halfaya neighbourhood north of Khartoum Bahri on the other bank of the Nile River. Plumes of smoke rose from the area as anti-aircraft guns returned fire.

The exchange of fire underscored the intensity of the fighting, which has shown no signs of abating despite international calls for a cease-fire. Civilians remain trapped in the crossfire, their lives upended by the relentless violence.