The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched fresh assaults on a cattle market and a prison in a Sudanese city, deepening the humanitarian crisis in a region already labeled a "death trap" by survivors. This latest incident adds to a series of brutal RSF offensives that have devastated civilians, displaced millions, and crippled access to aid across Sudan since April 2023.

According to eyewitness accounts and humanitarian reports, RSF fighters stormed a large cattle market, opening fire and looting livestock. The violence quickly spilled over to a nearby prison, where detainees were either killed or forcibly relocated under harsh conditions. While official casualty figures are yet to be confirmed, local sources suggest dozens may have died in the twin assaults.

These attacks are consistent with RSF’s documented pattern of targeting civilian hubs including markets, refugee camps, and detention facilities. In previous incidents, RSF shelling killed at least 15 people in a crowded market in El Fasher and 19 prisoners during a drone strike on El Obeid prison in May. Human rights groups have repeatedly condemned such actions as war crimes.

The city targeted in the latest attacks had already been suffering from dire humanitarian conditions. International aid groups describe it as a “death trap,” where civilians are trapped without food, medical aid, or safe passage. The RSF’s tactics, including looting, siege warfare, and indiscriminate shelling, have cut off essential services and created widespread famine-like conditions. Reports indicate that the paramilitary group has stolen up to 60 percent of livestock in some states, further damaging local economies and food supplies.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has recently compiled new evidence implicating RSF leaders in crimes against humanity, including mass killings, rape, starvation tactics, and ethnic cleansing, particularly in the Darfur region. The ICC is now expanding its investigations in light of ongoing attacks like the one on the cattle market and prison.

With more than 40,000 people dead and over 10 million displaced since the war began, Sudan is facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophes. Aid agencies warn of a surge in child malnutrition, cholera, and measles outbreaks, especially in regions cut off by RSF blockades.

Observers fear that the continued fragmentation of RSF leadership and escalation of attacks on civilian infrastructure will make peace negotiations and humanitarian access even more difficult in the coming weeks. As the conflict spreads beyond Khartoum to key regions like Darfur and Kordofan, international pressure is mounting for a ceasefire and accountability for war crimes.