A local medical group accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Tuesday of holding seven families around the city of Babnousa in West Kordofan over links to the Sudanese army.

The Sudan Doctors Network said in a statement that the families were charged by the RSF with having relatives serving in the army.

It described the move as “a clear violation of international humanitarian law and a breach of the principles of civilian protection during armed conflict.”

The network held the rebel group “fully responsible for the safety of the detainees” and called on human rights and international organisations “to intervene immediately to secure their release and ensure that such violations against civilians in West Kordofan and throughout Sudan are not repeated.”

Intense clashes

The three Kordofan states, North, West, and South, have in recent days witnessed intense clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF.

Since April 15, 2023, the Sudanese army and the RSF have been locked in a war that regional and international mediations have failed to end.

The conflict has killed thousands of people and displaced millions of others.