UN Official Raises Alarm Over Mass Killings in Sudan’s Gezira State
A senior United Nations official in Sudan has expressed deep concern over reports of “atrocious crimes” in Gezira state, where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have allegedly committed mass killings of civilians.
Activist Groups Report Over 120 Deaths
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, responded to claims from an activist group that at least 124 people were killed by the RSF in recent attacks on villages. The RSF has denied targeting civilians, asserting that their fighters are engaged in clashes with military-backed militias.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan, which has lasted 18 months, has caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over 11 million people. Gezira state has become a key battleground, especially after a significant defection from the RSF to the military by Abu Aqla Kayka, a former RSF commander who reportedly brought a large contingent of his forces with him.
UN Condemns Mass Killings and Human Rights Violations
Preliminary reports suggest that the RSF launched a major offensive in Gezira state between October 20 and 25, leading to mass killings, sexual violence, looting, and the destruction of farms. Nkweta-Salami condemned these actions, likening them to the atrocities committed in Sudan’s Darfur region last year, where the RSF was accused of “ethnic cleansing” against rival communities.
The Wad Madani Resistance Committee accused the RSF of carrying out “extensive massacres in village after village.” Meanwhile, the Sudanese doctors’ union urged the UN to push for safe humanitarian corridors, stating that rescue operations are impossible, and the army is failing to protect civilians.
Background of the Conflict
The conflict began in April 2023, stemming from a power struggle between RSF leader Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and military commander Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Both had previously collaborated in a 2021 coup that disrupted Sudan’s democratic transition. Despite diplomatic interventions by the US and Saudi Arabia, efforts to broker peace between the two leaders have failed.
Nkweta-Salami stressed the urgent need for international action to protect civilians and ensure accountability for human rights violations. The situation in Gezira underscores the dire humanitarian crisis gripping Sudan as the conflict shows no signs of resolution.