SUDAN, MAR 30 (V7N) - At least 14 people, including five children and two women, were killed in an attack by Sudanese paramilitary forces and allied rebels in the central Kordofan region, a medical group said on Sunday.

Fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), along with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, launched a major assault on Dilling, the capital of South Kordofan. Sudan’s military said it successfully repelled the हमला after recently breaking an RSF siege on the city.

According to the Sudan Doctors Network, attackers shelled residential areas during the عدة-hour offensive, leaving at least 23 others injured, including seven children. The হামলা has raised fresh concerns over civilian safety in conflict-hit regions.

Dilling had already been facing severe humanitarian conditions, with shortages resembling famine after more than two years under RSF siege. Supply routes were cut off and the area was frequently targeted in airstrikes before the military lifted the blockade earlier this year.

Medical sources warned the situation could worsen further, drawing comparisons with El-Fasher, where an RSF offensive last October triggered intense violence. A UN-commissioned report found that the attack there showed signs consistent with genocide.

The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023 following a power struggle between the military and the RSF, escalating into full-scale war in Khartoum.

According to the United Nations, more than 40,000 people have been killed so far, although aid agencies believe the actual death toll could be significantly higher. Recent fighting has intensified in Darfur and Kordofan, with increasing drone strikes causing heavy civilian casualties.

The war has been marked by widespread human rights abuses, including mass killings and sexual violence. These alleged crimes are currently under investigation by the International Criminal Court as possible war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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