Cholera Crisis Deepens in Besieged Sudan Town: Over 400 Fatalities Feared

Cholera is suspected in the deaths of over 400 individuals in al-Hilaliya, Sudan, amid a siege by Rapid Support Forces. The outbreak has compounded suffering in a town already ravaged by infrastructure loss and violence. Efforts to escape the area are hindered by costly fees demanded by RSF soldiers.

Dozens of residents who escaped from the besieged town of al-Hilaliya in Sudan's El Gezira state have tested positive for cholera, a medical source reported. The outbreak provides a likely explanation for the reported deaths of hundreds there.

Local activists claim over 300 people have died, while a list from Hilaliya residents in the diaspora suggests more than 400 fatalities, with numbers rising hourly. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began the siege on October 29 following the defection of one of their commanders to the army, attacking the town as part of a broader campaign in east Gezira. Activists say at least 15 were killed by gunfire during the initial raid.

With mass fatalities and rumors of intentional poisoning circulating, cholera has been confirmed in many of those who escaped the town. After the soldiers ousted residents and stole valuables, inhabitants were forced to seek refuge in mosque courtyards. Lacking access to clean water, some resorted to using an old well possibly contaminated with sewage, exacerbating the health crisis.

(With inputs from agencies.)