Hundreds killed during RSF massacres of North Kordofan villages
Images: A screenshot from a video filmed by RSF fighters in Shak Al-Noum shows burning homes and fleeing civilians (left). Satellite imagery from Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab shows razed structures in the village.
The Rapid Support Forces have torn through villages around the town of Bara in North Kordofan, killing over 450 civilians. Satellite imagery confirms the attacks were deliberate, making this one of the deadliest massacres of the war so far.
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In mid‑July 2025, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) unleashed a series of attacks on villages around the town of Bara in North Kordofan state. According to UNICEF, at least 24 boys, 11 girls, and two pregnant women were killed alongside hundreds of their fellow citizens, especially in the villages of Shak Al-Noum on July 12 and Hilat Hamid on July 13. Witnesses described residents being burned alive in their homes, as well as mass shootings as people fled during widespread RSF looting.
While some reports suggest a handful of civilians returned fire on the RSF with AK-47s in a bid to protect their neighbors, the villages that were attacked were not militarized and completely defenseless against RSF heavy weaponry and infantry.
Map: Click or tap to expand. (source)
Imagery: Yale Humanitarian Research Lab (click or tap to expand)
This latest massacre is part of the RSF’s multi-pronged push on El‑Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, which is under control of the national army. The massacre of Shak Al-Noum appears to be part of the RSF’s broader strategy to encircle El‑Obeid, which already hosts an estimated 30,000 displaced Sudanese on top of local residents.
Analysis of satellite imagery by Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) has further documented the destruction of Shak Al-Noum. The images show widespread thermal scarring, smoldering ruins, and burned structures consistent with deliberate arson. HRL also documented RSF vehicles in nearby areas, as well as newly displaced persons and expanded human burial mounds in the nearby state capital of El-Obeid.
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The Sudanese human rights group Emergency Lawyers stated: “It has been proven that the targeted villages were completely devoid of any military manifestations or targets which exposes the criminal nature of these actions carried out in total disregard of International Humanitarian Law.” The RSF now controls Bara town, just a few kilometers south of Shak Al-Noum, and continues to slowly regain ground elsewhere in North Kordofan.
Sudan is well into a third year of one of the most brutal wars in modern history. Everything has been weaponized by the army and RSF—former allies who ousted a transitional civilian government in 2019 and are now fighting for control of a nation that wants neither in charge. Both sides have blocked aid, targeted humanitarian workers, and killed civilians. The RSF is also using mass rape as a weapon of war. Khartoum lies in ruins, as do countless other towns and villages.
This nightmare has given way to the largest hunger, displacement, and childhood education crises in the world. Nearly 30 million Sudanese —over half of the entire country— are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with famine declared in multiple areas. The U.S. government has recognized that genocide is underway by the RSF in Darfur, while the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor recently reported to the United Nations that her office has “reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity” are being committed.
This latest massacre in North Kordofan is yet another devastating reminder that the Sudanese people —trapped between bombs, drone strikes, food blockades, and targeted brutality— continue to suffer the most from this war. But while most of the world continues looking away, you don’t have to. We can help Sudanese heroes get the support they need and push others to start paying attention.
Operation Broken Silence is dedicated to Sudanese communities, cultivating resilience and driving meaningful change through crowdfunded programs. Our Sudanese partners are overwhelmed with needs as war and hunger spread. By joining our global campaign Miles For Sudan or giving below, you will help them serve the most vulnerable in this time of tremendous need.
Can’t participate? Make a donation or set up a small monthly gift instead:
$1,000 - Fully funds one classroom at Endure Primary School in Yida Refugee Camp for half a semester.
$500 - Delivers food to Darfuri genocide survivors who have fled to South Sudan.
$250 - Provides a daily breakfast to 10 children for an entire month in the Adré refugee camps, where many Darfuri genocide survivors now live.
$100 - Deliver nutritional supplements that help fight malnutrition in Adré
$50 - Helps bring school supplies to students in Yida Refugee Camp.
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The Rapid Support Forces have torn through villages around the city of Bara in North Kordofan, killing over 450 civilians. Satellite imagery confirms the attacks were deliberate, making this one of the deadliest massacres of the war so far. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/hundreds-killed-during-rsf-massacres-of-north-kordofan-villages
This latest massacre is part of the RSF’s multidirectional assault on El‑Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, which is under the control of the national army. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/hundreds-killed-during-rsf-massacres-of-north-kordofan-villages
As the war grinds on, it’s the Sudanese people —trapped between bombs, drone strikes, food blockades, and targeted brutality— who continue to suffer the most. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/hundreds-killed-during-rsf-massacres-of-north-kordofan-villages
Operation Broken Silence is dedicated to Sudanese communities, cultivating resilience and driving meaningful change through crowdfunded programs. Will you join us? https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/hundreds-killed-during-rsf-massacres-of-north-kordofan-villages
