Deadly airstrikes in Sudan’s capital leave 175 dead in escalating conflict

At least 175 people have been killed and dozens injured following a series of devastating airstrikes on Sudan’s capital and surrounding areas on Monday and Tuesday. The attacks, reportedly carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), mark a grim escalation in the 20-month conflict between the paramilitary group and the Sudanese army.

The violence began on Monday with an airstrike on a crowded market in Kabkabiya, a town 180 kilometers west of North Darfur. The attack left over 100 civilians dead, including women and children, according to reports from a local rights group.

In a separate incident, a shell struck a passenger bus, killing all 22 people on board. Khartoum Governor Ahmed Othman Hamza condemned the attack as a “massacre” committed by the RSF.

The violence continued on Tuesday in Omdurman, an army-controlled region near Khartoum. At least 65 people were killed, and over 100 injured in the clashes, according to Governor Hamza. The attacks are considered some of the most violent confrontations this year between Sudan’s military and the RSF.

Sudan has been mired in civil war since 2023, when tensions between the military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by his former deputy General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, erupted into open conflict.

The RSF, originally formed from Darfur’s infamous Janjaweed militia, has been accused of targeting civilian populations during the ongoing war. The conflict has claimed an estimated 24,000 lives and displaced millions, with many fleeing to neighboring countries or facing dire humanitarian conditions.

Despite the staggering loss of life, the crisis in Sudan has struggled to capture global attention, overshadowed by other international conflicts such as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The recent surge in violence highlights the urgent need for international intervention and renewed efforts to bring peace to a nation teetering on the edge of collapse. Humanitarian organizations have called for an immediate ceasefire to allow aid to reach the millions of displaced and vulnerable people caught in the crossfire.

This latest wave of bloodshed underscores the devastating human toll of Sudan’s ongoing war, as hopes for peace remain elusive.