Red Crescent teams recovered bodies from a well in Sharg Elnil, Sudan, revealing evidence of killings in an area recently reclaimed from the Rapid Support Forces. Victims were found shot and tied. Residents have described fears and threats during the RSF occupation, complicating attempts to honor the deceased. Investigations are ongoing into these abuses amid the civil conflict.
In Sharg Elnil, Sudan, Red Crescent volunteers retrieved bodies from a well in an area recently regained by the military from paramilitary control. Witnesses reported that most of the 15 bodies found had gunshot wounds to the head, with indications that some may have been alive when thrown into the well, according to Hisham Zain al-Abdin, director of forensic medicine for Khartoum state.
Additional remains have been discovered on roadsides and hidden in buildings within the district, with some victims reportedly bound. The ongoing conflict, now nearly two years old, has seen government forces reclaim territories formerly occupied by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which became independent from military control in April 2023.
Authorities are uncovering significant evidence of killings in areas previously managed by the RSF. While the RSF has not responded to recent inquiries, it has historically denied wrongdoing, asserting that any abuses are due to individual actors, while also accusing the army of misconduct, a claim the army disputes.
Residents like Hussein al-Faki have described the dangers they faced in attempting to bury the victims. Armed personnel from the RSF caution residents against approaching the bodies, threatening violence if they disobeyed. “If you got closer, they would shoot you. They scared us, so we ran away and left them,” he recounted.
The situation in Sharg Elnil highlights the brutal outcomes of Sudan’s ongoing civil conflict, with disturbing evidence of violence against civilians emerging as the military regains territory from the RSF. The testimonies from locals illustrate the fear and trauma experienced by the community amidst reports of systemic killings. As investigations continue, the accountability of both the paramilitary and military forces remains a pressing concern.
Original Source: www.usnews.com
