KHARTOUM, Sudan

Sudanese authorities said Saturday that at least 24 civilians were killed and others wounded, including women, children and the elderly, after the Rapid Support Forces targeted a vehicle carrying displaced people in the city of Al-Rahad in North Kordofan state.

The North Kordofan state government said in a statement that it “strongly condemns, in the harshest terms, the horrific terrorist crime committed by the RSF militia,” describing the incident as a deliberate attack on a vehicle transporting displaced civilians arriving from South Kordofan state’s Dubeiker area and heading toward Al-Rahad.

According to the statement, the vehicle was struck by a drone at the southern entrance of the city, resulting in the deaths of 24 unarmed civilians and injuries to a large number of others.

“The attack resulted in the martyrdom of 24 unarmed civilians, including women, children and elderly people, in addition to the injury of a large number of civilians,” the statement said.

The state government described the incident as a “grave and serious violation” of international humanitarian law, particularly rules protecting civilians and displaced persons.

The Sudan Doctors Network also condemned the attack, calling it “a new massacre” committed by the RSF in North Kordofan. The group said the strike targeted a transport vehicle carrying displaced people fleeing South Kordofan as it arrived in Al-Rahad.

The network said 24 people were killed, including women and eight children, two of whom were infants. It said the wounded were transferred to Al-Rahad for treatment amid extremely difficult health and humanitarian conditions and a severe shortage of medical resources.

Targeting unarmed civilians, especially those fleeing conflict zones and their means of transport, constitutes “a full-fledged war crime and a violation of all humanitarian and international laws,” the network said, accusing the RSF of systematic violence against civilians and a policy of impunity.

The group held the RSF fully responsible for what it described as the massacre and its humanitarian consequences, urging the international community and human rights organizations to take urgent action to protect civilians and hold RSF leaders accountable. It also called for securing safe displacement routes and ensuring unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid.

As of 0900 GMT, the RSF had not commented on the incident.

Of Sudan’s 18 states, the RSF controls all five states in the western Darfur region, except for parts of North Darfur that remain under army control. The Sudanese army holds most areas of the remaining 13 states across the south, north, east and center of the country, including the capital, Khartoum.

The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF erupted in April 2023 and has killed thousands of people while displacing millions.

*Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul