RSF attacks spark mass displacement in Sudan’s White Nile state

November 9, 2024 (ED DUEIM) – The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched attacks on towns north of Ed Dueim in Sudan’s White Nile state, triggering a wave of civilian displacement, local sources told Sudan Tribune on Friday.

The attacks come a year after the RSF pushed south from its bases in Jabal Awliya, south of Khartoum, into White Nile state.

Witnesses said the RSF attacked the Qoz Al Khanjar area, 12 km (7 miles) north of Al Arshkol, where the Sudanese army is stationed.

Villages including Qoz Al Khanjar, Al Shakiri, Tayba, and Al Qawiz, as well as villages in the Umm Rimta locality, saw residents flee their homes to escape looting and intimidation by the RSF.

The RSF is based in the Al Alaqa area, 100 km (62 miles) northwest of Ed Dueim, while the army is stationed in Jabal Al Arshkol, about 50 km (31 miles) northwest of the city.

Villages west of the Nile have been subjected to attacks of varying intensity for days. Residents have voiced concerns about the attacks in White Nile via social media groups.

Witnesses said the RSF is employing hit-and-run tactics, carrying out swift raids with limited numbers to loot and intimidate before withdrawing to their bases in Jabal Awliya, about 40 km south of Khartoum.