At Least 100 Killed in Attack on Sudanese Village Amid Civil War

(Bloomberg) -- At least 100 people have been killed by militants fighting for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, rights groups and humanitarian officials said, amid a 14-month long civil war that’s created one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises.

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The conflict, which began last April, has killed as many as 150,000 people by US estimates and displaced more than 9 million, drawing war crimes accusations against both the Sudanese army and its rival, the RSF. The latest atrocity comes as the capital, Khartoum, lies in ruins, and 5 million people are at risk of famine.

On Wednesday, RSF fighters opened fire on residents of Wad Al Noura village, just south of Khartoum, after they tried to stop the group from entering the area, the Madani Resistance Committee, a local pro-democracy organization, said in a statement.

It put the death toll at “as many as 100” people including women and children, and shared pictures and videos online showing dozens of bodies wrapped in white shawls. Bloomberg couldn’t independently verify the images.

Two senior humanitarian officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they weren’t authorized to comment publicly, said that more than 100 people had been killed.

A spokesperson for the RSF didn’t reply to emails seeking comment. But the group said in a statement on Thursday that it had attacked “three camps” west, south and north of the Wad Al Noura area, where it said the army, intelligence services and Islamist groups were present.

The fighting has been exacerbated through the support of outside powers: The United Arab Emirates is a key backer of the RSF, supplying it with weapons and funding, according to a leaked UN report, while Iran has supplied combat drones to the army. The UAE denies any involvement.

--With assistance from Mohammed Alamin.

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