Red Crescent volunteers retrieved 15 bodies from a well in Sharg Elnil, Sudan, underlining violence in areas reclaimed from RSF control. Many victims had gunshot wounds, and some indications suggested they were alive when discarded. Residents faced threats when attempting to bury the deceased. The RSF and military deny allegations of systematic abuses.
In the region of Sharg Elnil, Sudan, recently reclaimed by government forces from paramilitary control, Red Crescent volunteers retrieved numerous bodies from a well. Observations indicated that most of the 15 victims exhibited gunshot wounds to the head, with some showing signs of having been alive when discarded into the well. Hisham Zain al-Abdin, the forensic medicine director for Khartoum state, reported that additional bodies were discovered along roadsides and in basements, with indications of victims having been bound.
Progressing nearly two years into Sudan’s Civil War, government troops have made significant strides reclaiming territories previously held by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that separated from military governance in April 2023. Officials have uncovered extensive evidence of violence in areas, such as Sharg Elnil, that were once under RSF authority. The RSF has not provided a comment regarding these findings.
Historically, the RSF has denied allegations of widespread atrocities during its occupation, asserting that individual offenders would face justice. They have also countered allegations of abuses by the military, which the military denies outright. Resident Hussein al-Faki noted that locals had made attempts to bury the deceased but were deterred by armed fighters who threatened them for approaching the bodies, instilling fear in the community.
The recovery of bodies from a well in Sharg Elnil highlights the brutal realities faced in areas recently reclaimed from paramilitary control in Sudan. The reports indicate that many victims suffered severe violence, offering insight into the ongoing atrocities amid Sudan’s Civil War. Both the Rapid Support Forces and government forces have retaliated against accusations of abuses, indicative of a continuing cycle of conflict in the region.
Original Source: www.usnews.com
