Cholera has been confirmed as the cause of death for over 300 people in a town in Sudan’s El Gezira state, with fatalities rising by the hour, according to medical sources.
Dozens of residents who fled the besieged town have all tested positive for the disease, raising fears of a much higher death toll.
Local reports initially suggested that more than 300 people had died in al-Hilaliya. A group of al-Hilaliya residents living abroad shared a list with Reuters documenting over 400 fatalities, a number that continues to climb.
The deaths were initially attributed to attacks during the siege of the town, which reportedly began following the defection of former Rapid Support Forces (RSF) officer Abuagla Keikal.
As reports of mass fatalities emerged, rumors circulated that RSF soldiers had deliberately poisoned residents. However, medical sources have linked the deaths to cholera, citing an increasing number of escapees testing positive for the disease.
