paramilitary attack in Al-Jazeera state leaves more than 120 dead, says health minister

More than 120 people were killed in the state of Al-Jazeera (central Sudan) during an attack by paramilitaries, who besieged entire villages in this region on Friday, according to a new report announced Monday October 28 by the Minister of Health. “The Rapid Support Forces militia [FSR] committed a massacre against the citizens of Al-Sariha, in the State of Al-Jazeera (…)which left more than 200 injured and 124 martyrs”reported the Minister of Health, Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim. His ministry “works to provide medicine and treat the wounded and sick urgently in besieged areas”he added.

“I am deeply alarmed by the escalation of violence against children and families in Al-Jazeera State”declared the director of Unicef, Catherine Russell, in a press release. “Over the past week, at least 124 people have reportedly been killed in Al-Jazeera – including at least ten children, some as young as 10 years old – and at least 43 children have been injured”she added.

A local pro-democracy group reported on Saturday a death toll of 50 in two villages in the state of Al-Jazeera following this attack.

Rescues impossible

Sudan has been the scene since April 2023 of a war between the RSF, led by General Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, and the army led by General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Al-Bourhane, de facto leader of this country who is among the most poor people of the world. The conflict has left tens of thousands dead, with estimates ranging from 20,000 to 150,000, with most casualties going unrecorded, according to doctors.

Paramilitaries have recently intensified violence against civilians in the agricultural state of Al-Jazeera, south of Khartoum, after their commander in that area joined the army.

Sudan's doctors' union on Friday called on the United Nations to press for safe humanitarian corridors to villages “who are facing genocide at the hands of the militia” of the FSR, rescue operations having become impossible. According to medical sources in several villages, almost all emergency care centers have been forced to close.