Sudanese lawyers release fresh report about atrocities in Al Jazirah State
March 17, 2024 (WAS MADANI) – A damning report by the Sudanese Emergency Lawyers Initiative (ELI) details widespread human rights abuses in Al Jazirah State since the conflict began in April 2023. The report documents 248 civilian deaths and 347 injuries at the hands of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The ELI, a legal group focused on human rights monitoring, meticulously documented extrajudicial killings and indiscriminate fire on civilian gatherings. All documented incidents targeted civilians in areas with no military presence.
The report exposes a pattern of violence across the state. It details RSF control of several areas in the Al-Kamilin locality bordering Khartoum at the war’s outset. It further details crimes committed after the RSF seized the state capital, Wad Madani, in December 2023 and its subsequent expansion towards South Sennar State.
According to the ELI, the RSF is responsible for violations in 156 locations, while Sudanese Air Force bombings struck 36 areas. The report confirms a mass displacement crisis triggered by the violence. Hundreds of thousands have fled to Sennar, White Nile, and northern and eastern states, fearing further violence.
The report also documented targeted violence aimed at displacing residents. This includes incidents in Sharif Mukhtar village (South Al-Jazirah) in February and Tanub village on February 25th, where civilians were forced to flee en masse. Numerous other villages have suffered similar abuses.
The ELI details widespread abuses against civilians in Al Jazirah State. Since the war began in April 2023, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been responsible for violence in at least 156 locations, according to the report. This includes extrajudicial killings, random shootings in civilian areas, and seizing control of areas with no military presence. Sudanese military airstrikes have also hit 36 locations.
The violence has caused a mass displacement of civilians. Hundreds of thousands have fled their homes in fear, seeking refuge in neighbouring Sennar and White Nile states or further north and east. The UN estimates at least 250,000 people have recently fled Al Jazirah, including many from Wad Madani, which previously housed about half a million displaced people.
The report documents specific instances of targeted violence aimed at driving people from their villages, such as attacks in Sharif Mukhtar and Tanub in February.
The lawyers urged the RSF to cease attacks on civilians and villages without military targets immediately. They also call for the arrest, identification, and prosecution of those responsible for the crimes, as well as the release of all detained civilians.
The Sudanese military is urged to stop indiscriminate airstrikes and to avoid turning villages near Al-Manaqil into military targets. Unimpeded access to humanitarian aid is also critical.
The report calls for both warring parties to cooperate with a fact-finding mission and for the international community to ensure continued humanitarian access. Finally, the lawyers urge all parties to uphold international law and human rights conventions.
(ST)