RSF is accused of killing 80 people in an attack on a Sudanese community

At least 80 people were killed by Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in a village in the southeast of the region, a medical source and witnesses said on Friday.

The attack on the village of Jalgini in Sennar state on Thursday came despite ongoing US-sponsored talks to end the devastating 16-month conflict.

According to a source at Jalgini Medical Centre, 55 people were killed and scores of injured were hospitalised on Thursday, while another 25 succumbed to their injuries on Friday, bringing the total death toll to 80.

One survivor reported that the paramilitaries initially encountered resistance from the villagers before returning in full force.

“Yesterday morning, three military vehicles attacked Jalgini. Residents resisted, and the paramilitaries withdrew, who then returned with dozens of vehicles,” a Jalgini resident who was taking his injured son to hospital told AFP.

“They opened fire, set houses on fire and killed numerous people,” said the man, who wished to remain anonymous.

On Wednesday, talks on a ceasefire began in Switzerland under the mediation of the USA, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland. However, the Sudanese military refused to participate.

Previous attempts at negotiations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, failed to resolve the conflict. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been in conflict with Sudan's regular army since April 2023, took control of Sinja, the capital of Sennar state, in June.

Since then, more than 726,000 people have been displaced in Sennar due to the conflict, the UN agency International Organization for Migration reported.