Recently recaptured Sharg Elnil has seen Red Crescent volunteers recover 15 bodies from a well, with many victims showing signs of execution. The area, previously under the control of the Rapid Support Forces, has revealed alarming evidence of killings. Local residents describe a climate of fear preventing them from properly burying the deceased, while both the RSF and the army deny accusations of abuses.
In Sharg Elnil, Sudan, following the army’s recapture of the area from paramilitary forces, Red Crescent volunteers discovered 15 bodies in a well. The bodies were retrieved while residents observed, highlighting the community’s distress. Reports indicate that most victims suffered gunshot wounds to the head, and some appeared to have been thrown into the well while still alive, according to Hisham Zain al-Abdin, director of forensic medicine for Khartoum state.
In addition to the bodies found in the well, others have been reportedly located on roadsides and hidden in local basements, with some victims reportedly tied up. The area, previously controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for nearly two years, has witnessed a severe outbreak of violence, especially after the RSF’s split from military authorities in April 2023. Government forces are uncovering widespread evidence of killings in these regions.
While the RSF has declined to comment on these horrific discoveries, historically, the group has denied allegations of abuse in territories it controlled, stating that individual offenders would be held accountable. The RSF has previously accused the army of similar abuses, which the military refutes.
Testimonies from residents depict a climate of fear during the RSF’s control. Hussein al-Faki, a local who reported the bodies, described the dangers that locals faced when attempting to bury the victims. “If you got closer, they would shoot you. They scared us, so we ran away and left them,” he recounted, emphasizing the intimidation residents experienced under RSF occupation.
The retrieval of bodies in Sharg Elnil sheds light on the grim realities of the ongoing conflict in Sudan. With the army’s recent advances, shocking evidence of killings by paramilitary forces has emerged. These horrifying discoveries underline the urgent need to address human rights violations occurring amid the civil war. Local testimonies reveal the profound fear experienced by the community, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
Original Source: www.usnews.com
