Over 100 civilians killed in AEl Malha clashes, RSF blamed

April 4, 2025 (AL MALHA) – More than 100 civilians were killed during clashes in the Al Malha area of North Darfur last month, a human rights group reported Friday, blaming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for widespread violations against residents.

The RSF said on March 20 it had seized control of El Malha, a strategic crossroads connecting Al Dabbah to the north, Hamrat El Sheikh eastward, and El Fasher south. The rights group alleges widespread abuses, including killings and forced displacement, occurred after the RSF takeover.

A statement from the Al Malha Center for Human Rights detailed the grim aftermath: “Initial reports confirm the burial of the bodies of over one hundred civilians from Al Malha, including dozens who remain unidentified, following the clashes within the area on March 20th.”

The Centre condemned violations during the RSF takeover, stating the paramilitary force committed “the most heinous violations against unarmed civilians, including killing, dragging, torture, looting, property seizure, and the burning of markets and some institutions.”

It added, “Despite the RSF militia’s control over the locality, citizens were not safe from killings and treacherous deaths. Bullets claimed the lives of unarmed people in markets and inside homes during forced entries for the purpose of theft.”

RSF violations extended beyond the main town into surrounding administrative units, particularly involving livestock theft during which several residents were killed defending their property, the Centre reported.

The rights group also stated that shortly after seizing control, RSF elements allegedly assassinated community leaders from the Meidob ethnic group, civil servants, prominent local figures, clerics, and volunteers staffing local Emergency Response Rooms.

Separately, the United Nations reported on Thursday that local authorities estimate around 250,000 people – mostly women, children, and the elderly – have fled their homes in Al Malha following the violence.