Nairobi, November 10 — On Thursday, the Sudanese army accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of killing 120 civilians in the town of Al-Hilaliya in Gezira state. They were allegedly killed by shootings and deliberate food poisoning.
The Sudanese foreign ministry said that Al-Hilaliya had been under siege for approximately ten days. The town is experiencing a cholera outbreak and a severe lack of healthcare.
On Friday, The Gezira Conference, a civilian human rights organization, released a statement saying that 40 deaths had been recorded in the prior 24 hours due to food poisoning. They also accused the RSF of destroying and looting buildings in the town, including its dialysis center and the main hospital, as well as water wells and electrical infrastructure.
The Gezira Conference also said that the RSF is demanding on million Sudanese pounds (approximately $450) per person to evacuate from the town.
Another civilian group said that Al-Hilaliya has become a “large prison, with nearly 100,000 residents suffering from this two-week-long blockade awaiting certain death.”
The RSF launched attacks on villages in eastern, northern, and western Gezira after Abu Aqla Keikil, the RSF commander in Gezira state, switched allegiance to the Sudanese army on Oct. 21. The United Nations has accused the RSF of “atrocious crimes” in Gezira. More than 135,000 people have been displaced.