KHARTOUM, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 civilians were killed and dozens wounded on Friday in an attack on the Um Arada area, about 15 km southwest of El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State in central Sudan, according to Sudanese sources.
The Emergency Lawyers, a volunteer group, said in a statement the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched the attack, with initial information indicating at least 14 civilians killed and dozens wounded.
Civilians were fleeing the area following the attack amid fear and worsening humanitarian conditions, the group said, adding the attack came amid continued military operations between the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in North Kordofan State.
A medical source at El Obeid Hospital told Xinhua the facility received the bodies of at least 12 people and admitted around 15 wounded following the attack, with more casualties continuing to arrive.
In a statement posted on its Telegram channel, the RSF said it had "taken full control of the Um Arada area," alleging that the SAF units had withdrawn and left behind weapons and military equipment.
The RSF also said it was continuing operations on the Kordofan and Blue Nile fronts, claiming it had gained a "fundamental change" in the situation.
A Sudanese military source, however, told Xinhua the SAF units and allied forces had repelled an RSF attack on Um Arada, inflicting "heavy losses" on the attacking force.
Xinhua could not independently verify the two sides' conflicting accounts.
Military operations have intensified recently in North, West and South Kordofan states, amid growing concerns over civilian safety and worsening humanitarian conditions in areas affected by the fighting.
Sudan has been embroiled in an armed conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, leaving thousands dead and millions displaced inside and outside the country. ■
