18 killed in attacks on farming communities in central Sudan
January 14, 2025 (UM AL-QURA) – At least 18 people were killed on Tuesday in attacks on farming communities in Sudan’s central Al-Jazirah state, according to local activists, amid rising fears of further unrest in the volatile region.
The Sudanese army acknowledged “isolated incidents” involving its troops in the Al-Kanabi area east of the state capital, following accusations from political and rights groups that soldiers had killed civilians and arbitrarily detained women. The allegations are part of a broader pattern of violence against farming communities in the region.
The Central Committee of the Al-Kanabi Conference said in a statement that the Shukaba camp in southern Al-Jazirah was set ablaze, killing 13 residents of the Dar es Salaam camp in Al-Hudaybah, located east of Um Al-Qura. Five more individuals from Camp 16 in the same area were also killed, allegedly by the “Shield of Al-Batanah militia,” the statement added, referring to the Sudan Shield Forces (SSF), a paramilitary force allied with the Sudanese army.
It urged the armed forces to protect civilians, particularly in Al-Kanabi, where residents are facing what it described as “crimes and violations that amount to genocide, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing.”
The Committee held the Sudanese army “fully responsible” for the violence against agricultural workers, insisting that the perpetrators must be held accountable. It also called on residents of Al-Kanabi to mobilize in defence of their communities.
Responding to allegations that SSF forces were responsible for the attacks, a senior leader of the militia, Youssif Keikl, accused unnamed actors of inciting conflict between the group and Al-Kanabi residents.
In a Facebook post, Keikl said these attempts to sow discord intensified after government forces retook the city of Wad Madani, the capital of Al-Jazirah state, and began advancing northward.
“Those who profit from the conflict saw the end of the war approaching and tried to create sedition between us and our brothers in Al-Kanabi,” he wrote. “But this is futile. These are our people, and we are more protective of them than those who spread rumours. They are an integral part of our society. A criminal has no tribe or affiliation and will be brought to justice under the law.”
He said the group’s priority is to pursue and defeat the RSF, first in Khartoum and then across the country.
The violence comes as the Sudanese army and allied groups have regained control of Wad Madani and other large areas previously held by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Some activists have accused residents of Al-Kanabi, many of whom live in informal settlements along the Al-Jazirah scheme, of participating in attacks, looting, and killings carried out by the RSF against other residents of the state during their occupation of the area.
The Al-Jazirah irrigation project utilizes the Blue Nile waters to irrigate cotton and other cash crops. This is achieved through an extensive network of canals and ditches spanning 4,300 kilometres (2,700 miles).