Cycle of brutality continues in Al-Jazeera

16 January 2025

After 14 months, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied militias have successfully regained control over much of the strategic Al-Jazeera state, including its capital, Wad Medani. The Sudanese Armed Forces are now advancing to secure the remaining areas of the state from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This marks a significant step in the ongoing power struggle between the two factions, as the central state’s location and resources make it a critical battleground.

But for many civilians trapped amidst the fighting in Al-Jazeera State, little has changed on the ground with both warring parties committing human rights abuses, local residents told Ayin. 

Notably, the RSF took control over Al-Jazeera state 14 months ago, following the sudden and unexplained withdrawal of SAF troops in December 2022. The retreat, which occurred without a fight, was accompanied by an announcement from SAF that an investigation would be conducted to uncover the reasons behind their withdrawal. However, the results of this investigation were never made public, leaving a void filled with speculation and unanswered questions. 

During the RSF’s control of Al-Jazeera, the paramilitary group perpetrated heinous atrocities against the civilian population. Entire communities were shattered, with survivors recounting chilling accounts of systematic brutality. When the SAF launched their campaign to retake Al-Jazeera, it initially inspired a sense of relief and hope among Sudanese, according to local residents. However, that hope was quickly overshadowed after the SAF regained control of the area and started accusing residents of collaboration with their military opponents. Horrific videos began to emerge from the state capital and surrounding areas, depicting acts of violence, prompting urgent calls for accountability and transparency in the aftermath of the state’s recapture.

SAF and militia atrocities 

Since the war in Sudan began, both warring factions have accused civilians in opposing territories of collaborating with their enemies, placing civilians at serious risk. 

A video circulating on social media a few days ago shows a member of the army’s special forces stating that he has a list of 6,800 individuals within Al-Jazeera State that are allegedly aligned to the RSF as collaborators. In the video clip, the officer further threatens civilians, warning them that they will have “no place in the state” once SAF recaptures it. 

Since 11 January, Ayin has obtained and verified numerous videos documenting atrocities committed in recaptured areas. Due to the graphic nature of most of these videos, we have chosen not to publish them in adherence to ethical standards. However, we have analysed two of the videos in detail.

The first video is likely to have been recorded on 13 January at the Hantoob Bridge, which connects Hantoob City with Wad Medani, the state capital. The video shows three soldiers in SAF uniforms, along with other armed individuals wearing T-shirts bearing the logo of the Al-Bara Ibn Malik militia, an Islamist armed group aligned to the army, manhandling a young man. They are seen tying the civilian with a rope around his neck, punching him, and ordering him to keep running or face being thrown from the bridge. Moments later, they throw him into the Nile and fire automatic gunshots into the water where he fell, seemingly to ensure his death. 

The second video, filmed in Al-Munira, north of Wad Medani’s industrial area, shows dozens of civilians, some wearing traditional Sudanese garments and others in different civilian attire, sitting on the ground. Soldiers, some in SAF uniforms and the others in different types of military attire, are seen conversing with each other. The person filming tells a colleague, “If you’re professional, put a bullet in their heads,” justifying it by saying they don’t want to admit that they are RSF personnel. He then questions the civilians, asking, “Are these faces of citizens?” in a blatant display of racist rhetoric, especially considering that most of the civilians belong to Sudanese-African tribes. He also chants some Islamic slogans. Other videos obtained by Ayin reveal chilling evidence of cold-blooded executions of civilians.

Reactions

Dafur Govenor Mini Arko Minawi, whose forces are fighting alongside the SAF, expressed deep concern over reports of a massacre targeting unarmed civilians in Al-Kanabi, condemning the attacks as an act of revenge. He argued for military leaders to appertend and prosecute the perpetrators, emphasising that no justification can excuse such atrocities.

Ayin obtained a list documenting the deaths of the 128 residents of Al-Kanabi in Wad Medani but was unable to independently verify the figures. 

In response to the graphic videos, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) issued a press release on Tuesday, condemning what it described as “individual violations” in Al-Jazeera State, following the recapture of Wad Medani. The SAF pledged accountability for any personnel involved in abuses, emphasising their adherence to international law. 

The statement also accused certain groups within the country of exploiting individual violations to falsely attribute them to the army and their allied forces. “We also would like to draw attention to the fact that we are closely following up on the security situation in the region in coordination with the Al-Jazeera State security committee in order to secure all the areas and thwart the opportunity for parties in the country that are trying to exploit any individual violations to pin them on the Armed Forces and the forces supporting them, while remaining silent about the ongoing and horrific war crimes committed by the terrorist militia of Al-Daglo against civilians.”

Upon returning from a regional trip, army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan arrived in Port Sudan and emphasised that the military is not a militia, calling for the law to be respected and urging against vigilante justice. According to Reuters, the United States will impose financial sanctions today on Burhan after Washington administered similar sanctions against his rival, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. 

The Sudanese communist party (SCP), in a statement, condemned the escalating violence in Al-Jazeera state, accusing both warring parties of committing violations against the Sudanese people that rise to the amount of war crimes. The statement highlighted that residents of Al-Jazeera state have borne a significant share of these atrocities.

Furthermore, the party asserted that the army bears legal and political responsibility for these actions. “The leadership of the army bears full legal and political responsibility for these atrocities, with no possibility of escaping accountability and punishment. Legally, the leadership is responsible to the actions of the officers and soldiers forces and for ensuring the safety of citizens in areas under its control.” The party emphasised that statements made directly by army leaders have provided a green light for these forces to commit violations.