The United Nations has voiced grave concern over what it calls “credible reports” of summary executions of civilians by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Khartoum, following the military’s recent recapture of the capital from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
In a statement issued this week, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, described the reports as “appalling” and called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the alleged atrocities.
Türk specifically urged Sudanese military leaders to prevent further violations and ensure accountability for those responsible.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said it had reviewed multiple graphic videos and firsthand testimonies that appear to show armed men, allegedly affiliated with the SAF, executing civilians in public spaces.
The victims were reportedly accused—without due process—of supporting or collaborating with the RSF, a rival paramilitary group engaged in a prolonged power struggle with the national army.
“These acts, if confirmed, constitute serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law,” said Türk.
“The apparent targeting of civilians based solely on suspicion of affiliation is deeply troubling and must stop immediately.”
Some of the disturbing footage cited by the UN reportedly shows perpetrators boasting about the executions, framing them as retaliatory justice against RSF sympathizers.
The videos, shared widely on social media, have sparked outrage among human rights organizations and renewed international calls for greater oversight of the Sudanese military’s conduct.
The SAF and the RSF have been locked in a brutal conflict since April 2023, following a collapse in negotiations over the transition to civilian rule.
What began as a power struggle between rival factions has devolved into a nationwide humanitarian catastrophe, with the UN now describing Sudan as home to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
More than 8 million people have been displaced, and large swathes of the country remain inaccessible to humanitarian aid due to ongoing hostilities.
Both the SAF and the RSF have been repeatedly accused of widespread abuses, including arbitrary detentions, sexual violence, and attacks on civilian infrastructure.
While the Sudanese army has previously acknowledged “individual violations” by rogue soldiers, it has consistently denied the existence of a coordinated campaign targeting civilians.
However, human rights monitors continue to document a pattern of abuses in areas newly reclaimed by the military, especially in Khartoum and the Darfur region.
Türk reiterated the urgent need for an independent, international investigation into the killings and emphasized that justice and accountability must be central to any future peace process.
“The people of Sudan have suffered enough. They deserve protection, not persecution,” he said.
As global attention remains focused on flashpoints elsewhere, advocates warn that Sudan’s worsening crisis risks becoming a forgotten war, despite its staggering human cost and the growing evidence of grave violations on all sides.
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