At least 10 civilians were killed and several others injured on Tuesday in what has been described as a “new massacre” carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the town of Al-Huda, located in Sudan’s Al Jazirah state, approximately 34 kilometers from the nearest Sudanese army base.
Sudanese activists reported that the casualties resulted from indiscriminate artillery shelling by the RSF, targeting residential areas. No official statement has been released by the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (commonly known as Hemetti).
The “Wad Madani Resistance Committees,” a group of civilian activists in the capital of Al Jazirah state, Wad Madani, stated that the RSF continues to commit bloody massacres against the citizens of Al Jazirah state. In a statement posted on their social media platforms on Tuesday, they reported that the initial death toll indicates more than 10 people killed and several injuries, including women and children.
The ongoing communication and internet outages in Al Jazirah state, now in their fifth month, hinder the flow of information regarding the RSF’s violations. The RSF has controlled most parts of the state since December last year.
Al-Huda, a hub for several small villages in the far west of Al Jazirah state, falls under the administrative jurisdiction of Al Manaqil province. It is the only area in the state under Sudanese army control.
Less than two weeks ago, the RSF carried out a large-scale massacre in the town of Wad Al-Noura in Al Jazirah state, killing over 100 civilians and injuring many others.
In a recent speech to Sudanese citizens on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, Hemetti referred to the incident in Wad Al-Noura as a “military battle” between his forces, the army, Islamic Movement battalions, and mobilized forces, and security agencies. He sternly warned that his forces would not tolerate what he termed “popular resistance,” claiming that “remnants of the deposed regime” and their elements within the army use it as a cover to confront the RSF.
The RSF, which has mobilized additional troops, is aiming to fortify its defenses with neighboring states and advance towards Al Manaqil city to fully control Al Jazirah, a strategically important state. Al Jazirah is one of the largest states in the country, home to over 8 million people and hosting hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals, particularly from the capital, Khartoum.
Pro-RSF social media accounts on Tuesday shared videos highlighting what was described as a “major breakthrough” in breaching the Sudanese army’s defenses protecting Al Manaqil province. However, no official RSF statement has confirmed these claims.
The failure of the Sudanese army to protect civilians in towns and villages has angered Al Jazirah residents, with some believing that the army has left them defenseless against the RSF’s military machine.
According to observations by Asharq Al-Awsat, thousands of RSF troops are deployed across most towns and villages in Al Jazirah. As violations in central Sudan escalate, residents express growing frustration and discontent with the army’s inaction in protecting them.
Local sources from villages near Al-Huda, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, reported that residents have repeatedly sought help from the army garrison, which informed them that it “has no orders” from higher command to confront the RSF.
A local tribal leader representing a large community across Al Jazirah state expressed deep anger and frustration over what he described as the army’s “indifference” to the severe violations against civilians, while it remains “a passive spectator.”
He warned that with the RSF’s incursions, fierce battles are expected in this strategically important region, crucial for the Sudanese army’s control.
