"A recent shelling at a bustling market in Omdurman, Sudan, attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has resulted in more than 100 casualties, including many women and children. Aid organizations report overwhelming conditions at local hospitals as the ongoing civil war escalates."
"Omdurman Market Shelling Leaves Devastation in Sudan"
"Omdurman Market Shelling Leaves Devastation in Sudan"
"Over 100 casualties reported as intensified fighting claims more lives in market attack."
Shelling at a busy market near Sudan's capital has tragically filled a mortuary with casualties, according to medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Reports indicate that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were responsible for the devastating attack in Omdurman on Saturday, which resulted in over 100 casualties, a figure that the RSF has denied.
Most of the casualties at the market were women and children, as noted by the Sudanese Doctors' Union. For the past 22 months, the RSF and Sudan’s army have been engaged in a civil war that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands and resulted in what the United Nations describes as one of the worst humanitarian crises globally.
The conflict has seen an uptick in violence during recent weeks, as the army has escalated its efforts to regain complete control of Omdurman, located across the River Nile from the capital, Khartoum. Eyewitnesses reported to AFP that Saturday’s artillery strikes originated from western Omdurman, where the RSF is still in control.
The explosion wreaked "utter carnage" on at the Al Nao hospital, which quickly became overwhelmed with casualties, as stated by MSF's general secretary, Chris Lockyear. The Sudanese Doctors' Union made urgent appeals for nearby healthcare workers to provide assistance, citing a significant shortage of medical personnel in the wake of the attack. Alarmingly, one shell reportedly landed just "metres away" from the hospital.
Survivors of the attack recalled how the shells struck directly in the heart of the vegetable market, contributing to the high casualty count. As both factions have been condemned for targeting civilians, including health personnel, the ongoing violence has forced emergency services to suspend operations at several health centres, crippling medical support for countless local residents.
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