The Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group struck several locations in Sudan on Friday, killing over 100 civilians and aid workers.

On Friday, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) conducted a series of air and ground attacks resulting in the tragic deaths of over 100 civilians and aid workers in Sudan. This violent episode particularly targeted displacement camps and the town of Al Fasher in North Darfur province, as reported by the United Nations. Alarmingly, more than 20 children were among those feared dead, in addition to nine confirmed deaths of humanitarian workers. Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, highlighted the urgent need for the warring forces to abide by a 2024 UN resolution, which calls upon the RSF to cease its siege of Al Fasher and prioritize civilian protection. The Zamzam and Abu Shouk displacement camps, which were hit during the attacks, currently house over 700,000 individuals forced from their homes due to ongoing violence in Sudan. The escalation of violence can be traced back to the onset of an internal war in April 2023, when the RSF and government-affiliated troops, having jointly executed a coup in 2019, failed to reach an agreement on power distribution. The broader context reveals a staggering humanitarian crisis, with more than 8.9 million people currently displaced within the country and around 3 million having sought refuge abroad. Notably, both the RSF and the Sudanese military have been accused of committing war crimes against civilians, with these allegations coming from a UN fact-finding mission that remains contested by both parties. This horrifying situation underscores the urgent need for international attention and action to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese population. The indifference of both combatant factions regarding civilian safety highlights a deeply troubling reality—the loss of human life is viewed merely as collateral damage in their power struggle. As an audience, it is imperative to remain informed and vocal, urging our governments to advocate for humanitarian intervention and protection for those caught in the crossfire. This article has been analyzed and reviewed by artificial intelligence to discern its factual representation and implications, and it calls for an empathetic response to an ongoing humanitarian tragedy.