Mass grave discovered in Sudan, RSF denies responsibility

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said it has discovered a new mass grave on the outskirts of the city of El-Geneina, West Darfur, Sudan.

(07.14) Xung đột tại Sudan khiến hàng triệu người đã phải rời bỏ nhà cửa. (Nguồn: Reuters)

Conflict in Sudan has forced millions of people to flee their homes. (Source: Reuters)

At least 87 bodies, including those of the Masalit ethnic minority, were discovered there, the organization said.

Initial investigation and autopsy revealed that the first 37 bodies were buried on June 20; the remaining 50 bodies were buried the following day. Among the victims were 7 women and 7 children.

Several sources from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said the incidents took place from June 13 to 21 in the Al-Madaress and Al-Jamarek districts of El-Geneina city, shortly after the unexpected assassination of the Governor of West Darfur province Khamis Abdalla Abkar for unknown reasons. These sources also accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied military groups of being behind both events.

For his part, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk stated: “I strongly condemn the killing of civilians and the wounded in Sudan. I am appalled by the indifferent and disrespectful treatment of the victims, their families and their communities.”

He called on all parties to promptly conduct a transparent and specific investigation.

Meanwhile, a senior RSF official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the group “denies any connection with the events in West Darfur. We are not a party here and we are not involved in this conflict, because this is a tribal conflict.”

Another RSF source also said that the force was accused of “political motives” by the Masalit tribe and some other forces. He stressed that the group was ready to participate in the investigation and hand over any soldiers involved in the above incident.

The conflict that broke out on 15 April between the RSF, led by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, and the Sudanese Army, led by General Abdel Fattah Burhan, has left at least 3,000 people dead and thousands more injured. More than 3 million people have been forced to flee their homes; more than 180,000 have sought refuge in neighboring Chad.

Last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the conflict between two military forces in Sudan could turn into a full-blown civil war.

Source