UN: Internal displacement figures in Sudan 鈥榗ould top 10m within days鈥�

A man prepares food for displaced people arriving in the eastern city of Gedaref from the central state of Al-Jazira. (AFP)
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  • Pro-democracy activists鈥� committee says 鈥榰p to 100鈥� killed in village attacked by Rapid Support Forces

PORT SUDAN: A Sudanese pro-democracy activists鈥� committee has reported 鈥渦p to 100鈥� dead in a single day in a village attacked by paramilitary forces, as the UN warned on Thursday of mass displacement and starvation.

The Rapid Support Forces, who have been at war with the regular army since April 2023, on Wednesday attacked the central village of Wad Al-Noura in Al-Jazira state 鈥渋n two waves鈥� with heavy artillery, the Madani Resistance Committee said.

The committee said on Wednesday that the feared paramilitaries 鈥渋nvaded the village,鈥� causing widespread displacement and dozens of casualties.

鈥淯p to 100 people were killed,鈥� said the committee, one of hundreds of similar grassroots groups across Sudan, adding that they were 鈥渨aiting for a confirmed toll of the dead and injured.鈥�

On social media, the committee shared footage of what they said was a 鈥渕ass grave鈥� in the public square, showing rows of white shrouds laid out in a courtyard.

In a little over a year, the war has killed tens of thousands of people, including up to 15,000 in a single West Darfur town.

The war鈥檚 overall death toll, however, remains unclear, with some estimates of up to 150,000, according to US special envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello.

The RSF has repeatedly besieged and attacked entire villages across the country, and has been notorious for widespread looting as well as sexual and ethnic violence.

In a statement, the RSF said it had attacked three army camps in the Wad Al-Noura area, and clashed with its enemy 鈥渙utside the city.鈥�

Both the army and the RSF have been accused of war crimes, including targeting civilians, indiscriminately shelling residential areas and looting or obstructing humanitarian aid.

The UN migration agency warned on Thursday that internal displacement figures in Sudan could 鈥渢op 10 million鈥� within days.

Since the war began, over 7v million people have fled their homes for other parts of Sudan, adding to 2.8 million already displaced from previous conflicts in the war-torn country of 48 million inhabitants.

鈥淭he world鈥檚 worst internal displacement crisis continues to escalate, with looming famine and disease adding to the havoc wrought by conflict,鈥� the International Organization for Migration said in a statement.

Across Sudan, 70 percent of those displaced 鈥渁re now trying to survive in places that are at risk of famine,鈥� it added.

The UN says 18 million people are acutely hungry, with 3.6 million children acutely malnourished.

Widespread hunger has haunted Sudan for months, while aid agencies say a lack of data has prevented the official declaration of a famine.

If the current humanitarian situation continues, 2.5 million people could die of hunger by the end of September, according to recent estimates by the Clingendael Institute, a Dutch think tank.

That figure is 鈥渁bout 15 percent of the population in Darfur and Kordofan,鈥� the country鈥檚 vast western and southern regions which have seen some of the worst fighting, the institute said.

The UN has accused both sides of 鈥渟ystematic obstructions and deliberate denials鈥� of humanitarian access.