5 Sudanese civilians killed in Rapid Support Forces mosque shelling

KHARTOUM, Sudan

At least five Sudanese civilians were killed following an artillery attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on a mosque in Omdurman, west of the capital Khartoum, said a statement on Monday.

The attack occurred during the Maghrib prayer on Sunday evening at Al-Rashad Mosque in the northern rural area of the Karrari district.

“The rebel militia (RSF) shelled worshippers at Al-Rashad Mosque, killing five civilians instantly,” the Khartoum State government said in the statement.

“The mosque’s imam lost a leg, and several children were severely injured and transferred to nearby hospitals for treatment,” the statement added without specifying the exact number of children wounded.

As of yet, the Rapid Support Forces has not responded to the Sudanese government’s statement.

In recent days, Omdurman has been the site of intermittent artillery fire between the RSF and the Sudanese army, which controls large parts of the city, including its northern sections.

In a related development, the humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported on Monday that 16% of the war patients treated at the Bashair Teaching Hospital, located south of Khartoum, were children.

Between Oct. 19 and Nov. 8, MSF screened 4,186 women and children in Khartoum for malnutrition. Of these, 1,559 were suffering from severe malnutrition, and 400 from moderate malnutrition, the organization added, noting that the figures continue to rise daily, with children being the most affected by the ongoing conflict.

Since mid-April 2023, fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has left more than 20,000 people dead and displaced more than 11 million, according to the UN.

International calls are growing for an end to the conflict, which has driven millions toward famine and death amid severe food shortages across 13 of Sudan's 18 states.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio​​​​​​​