80 killed in paramilitary attack in central Sudan

At least 80 people were killed in an attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on a village in Sinnar state in central Sudan, a volunteer group said on Friday, reported Xinhua.

"The RSF launched a bloody attack yesterday (Thursday) on the Jalqni village of (Abu Hujar locality) in Sinnar state, after a five-day siege, killing at least 80 people," the Sinnar Youth Gathering said in a statement.

"The attack came after the RSF tried to kidnap girls from the village, which the residents resisted, leading to this massacre," the statement said.

It added that the "RSF militia" responded to the citizens' resistance by opening fire indiscriminately and storming homes.

The RSF has not yet issued any comment on the incident.

Since June, the RSF has controlled large parts of Sinnar state, including the state's capital city of Singa, while the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) controls the eastern Sinnar area.

According to the International Organization for Migration, the fighting in Sinnar state has displaced more than 725,000 people.

Sudan has been witnessing a deadly conflict between the SAF and the RSF since April 15, 2023, which has resulted in the loss of at least 16,650 lives. An estimated 10.7 million people are now internally displaced in Sudan, with approximately 2.2 million others seeking refuge in neighboring countries, according to recent UN data.