Sudan’s military chief, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has ordered an investigation into allegations that his forces carried out widespread atrocities following their recapture of Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira state, from paramilitary rivals. This move comes amidst growing concerns that numerous civilians, including foreign nationals, were killed after the army seized the strategic city from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over the weekend.
The violence in Sudan has escalated since the conflict between the army and the RSF broke out in April 2023, triggering a brutal civil war that has engulfed the nation. Wad Madani, located 87 miles south of Khartoum, had fallen into the hands of the RSF roughly a year ago, but the military regained control of the city on Saturday. Wad Madani, a key junction connecting multiple states, is vital for supply routes and is the closest major town to Sudan’s capital, making it a strategic prize for both sides in the ongoing conflict.
Sudan’s southern neighbor, South Sudan, quickly responded to the violence by summoning Sudan’s ambassador to protest against the loss of innocent lives, particularly among South Sudanese citizens. The neighboring country’s foreign ministry confirmed that it had received a detailed report from its embassy in Sudan, highlighting the deaths of non-combatant citizens during the fighting in Gezira. The military has previously accused the RSF of enlisting South Sudanese fighters as mercenaries, a claim that has fueled tensions between the two nations.
A Sudanese human rights group has also accused the military of going on a rampage in the region, allegedly killing at least 13 people in Camp Taiba, a village located 20 kilometers away from the city. The UN’s humanitarian chief in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, expresseddeep concern over reports of retaliatory attacks against civilians in Gezira, seemingly based on ethnicity or perceived affiliation with the RSF.
In response to these accusations, Gen. al-Burhan announced the formation of a committee to investigate the killings, particularly in Camp Taiba, and promised that a report would be submitted within a week. However, the investigation’s scope remains unclear, particularly regarding the wider concerns raised by South Sudan and the growing allegations of atrocities in other parts of Gezira state.
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While the Sudanese military has condemned what it called “individual violations” in some areas of Gezira, both sides of the conflict have been accused of committing atrocities over the course of the 20-month war. In a particularly chilling incident, videos circulating on social media depict a man in civilian clothing being thrown off a bridge and shot at by a group of men. BBC Verify confirmed that the video was filmed at the Hantoub bridge, located over the Blue Nile river, and matched elements from previous footage to confirm its authenticity. The group involved in the incident appeared to include members of the al-Bara’abin Malik Brigade, a militia fighting alongside the Sudanese army.
Other videos from the region show at least 30 bodies of men in civilian clothing lying on the ground near a wall. Through satellite imagery and video analysis, BBC Verify identified the location as being north-west of Wad Madani, where the army reportedly ambushed RSF fighters. However, it remains unclear how the men died and whether they were affiliated with either fighting party, as many armed groups in Sudan operate without uniforms.
The growing number of graphic videos and reports of violence has led to widespread calls for accountability. U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello, condemned the reports as “appalling” and called on both the Sudanese army and allied forces to investigate and hold perpetrators accountable.
As Sudan continues to grapple with the devastating conflict, both the army and RSF are under increasing scrutiny for their conduct. While the military has pledged to investigate the alleged violations in Gezira state, the long-standing war and its accompanying atrocities show no signs of abating anytime soon.
