Paramilitary RSF's shelling kills at least 20 in central Sudan

KHARTOUM -- More than 20 civilians were killed and over 100 others injured in an attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Sinnar city in central Sudan on Sunday, according to local aid groups.

The Sinnar Youth Gathering, a local voluntary group, reported that the RSF "indiscriminately" shelled the Sinaar market and the Al-Muwazafeen neighborhood.

Meanwhile, the non-governmental Sudanese Doctors Network reported that 21 people were killed and more than 70 others injured due to artillery shelling by the RSF on Sinnar market, calling the attack a "massacre" against unarmed civilians.

The RSF has not yet commented on the incident.

Since June, the RSF has controlled large parts of Sinnar state, including the capital city of Singa, while the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) controls the eastern part of the state. The International Organization for Migration estimates that fighting in Sinnar has displaced more than 725,000 people.

Since April 15, 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a deadly conflict between the SAF and the RSF, resulting in at least 16,650 deaths. According to the latest UN data, approximately 10.7 million people are internally displaced in Sudan, with about 2.2 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries.