While the residents of Gezira State were celebrating their liberation from the grip of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after enduring a prolonged ordeal since December 2023, they were shocked by a new wave of violence and assaults targeting civilians, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
The horrifying violations that have affected numerous citizens since the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) took control of the city of Wad Madani at the end of last week, and which are still ongoing, mark a new chapter in the war in Sudan. The conflict continues to grow more brutal and violent, particularly against civilians.
The Sudanese Human Rights Monitor (SHRM) has received numerous videos and photos documenting the scale of atrocities committed against civilians, including extrajudicial killings by shooting, stabbing, and drowning in the waters of the Blue Nile, under accusations of collaboration with the RSF.
The violence primarily targeted agricultural workers and residents of impoverished neighborhoods, particularly in areas such as Kambo Khamsa and Kambo Tayba in the Um al-Qura locality. These groups suffered various forms of assault, ranging from intimidation and abuse to the burning of homes and the forced displacement of families, including women, children, and the elderly—acts that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
SHRM has been documenting and monitoring the situation in the state since the RSF entered in December 2023. The RSF leadership has ignored all statements, investigations, and documented information published by SHRM and other human rights organizations, including the extensive report released by SHRM in July 2024.
SHRM welcomes the statement issued today, 14 January 2025, by the official spokesperson of the SAF, condemning the events in Gezira State. We call on the leadership of the SAF to immediately halt all forms of extrajudicial killings, torture, and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of all detainees. Immediate investigations must be conducted into all allegations of unlawful killings, extrajudicial executions, and torture, with a defined and short timeframe for completion. The results and recommendations of these investigations should be made public, and those responsible for such acts, regardless of their position, must be held accountable.
The continuation of these violations, amidst the disregard of local and international appeals, may lead to a dangerous escalation of the humanitarian crisis and further suffering for civilians in Sudan. The absence of accountability entrenches a climate of impunity, undermining prospects for peace and national reconciliation in the future.
SHRM appeals to the international community as a moral and humanitarian imperative to provide humanitarian assistance and protect civilians in Gezira State and across Sudan.
Finally, Victor’s Justice, devoid of fair legal proceedings, neither lays the foundation for a nation nor fosters national unity. Instead, it entrenches divisions and perpetuates a cycle of vengeance.
