The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are continuing their violent campaign in eastern al-Jazirah state, where their atrocities against civilians have escalated dramatically. In towns like al-Hilaliya, located about 70 kilometers from Wad Madani, residents have been subjected to a brutal siege for a week, with no escape in sight.
Rape, extrajudicial killings, forced displacements, and the destruction of entire villages have become grimly commonplace in areas controlled by the RSF. The forces have rounded up civilians, often gathering them in mosques or public squares, and preventing them from leaving their homes. In al-Hilaliya, locals are being forcibly displaced from their residences, but those desperate enough to flee are being subjected to extortion, with the RSF demanding payment to allow safe passage.
Kamal al-Sharif, a journalist whose family was affected, shared that his relatives were forced to pay the equivalent of 1,500 euros just to be permitted to leave on foot. Meanwhile, the RSF looted everything of value, including cars and other personal belongings. An estimated 70,000 people remain trapped in al-Hilaliya, where the humanitarian and health conditions are worsening by the day.
The city has been under siege for over a week, leaving its residents without access to food, medicine, or essential services. Cholera is now spreading rapidly throughout the population. In addition to these dire health conditions, the RSF is reported to have burned public places and committed acts of sexual violence, including the systematic rape of young women.
As these atrocities unfold, many are questioning the lack of intervention from the Sudanese military and the global community. Local reports indicate that at least 40 people have died in al-Hilaliya, either from direct violence or from disease, while the world remains largely silent. The situation continues to deteriorate, with no clear path toward relief or justice for the suffering civilians.