40 Killed in RSF Shelling of Sudan Market

At least 40 people were killed in a paramilitary shelling of a market in Omdurman, a city in the greater Khartoum area, on Saturday, according to a medical source who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity for safety reasons. The source, who works at Al-Nao Hospital, confirmed that casualties are still being brought in following the attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The paramilitary RSF has been embroiled in a violent conflict with Sudan's regular army since April 2023. The war, which has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced over 12 million people, shows no signs of abating.

After months of military stalemate in Khartoum, the Sudanese army launched a major offensive this month, successfully reclaiming strategic positions, including its headquarters in Khartoum. However, the RSF has been driven back into the city's outskirts, where they continue to hold ground.

Eyewitnesses described the shelling as coming from the western part of Omdurman, an area still under RSF control. This latest attack is part of an ongoing series of assaults on civilian targets, including marketplaces.

The assault follows a statement by RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who on Friday pledged to expel the army from Khartoum, underscoring the deepening hostilities and lack of resolution in the conflict.