Analysis conducted by BBC Verify has traced the perpetrators of a massacre in Sudan to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The attack in al-Seriha resulted in the deaths of at least 80 people, with potential for the toll to reach 124. Eyewitnesses described unarmed civilians being gunned down as they tried to escape the violence.
The massacre followed the defection of a senior RSF commander, prompting a series of reprisal attacks in Gezira state. Despite denial from an RSF spokesperson, evidence from BBC Verify suggests otherwise.
The conflict, stemming from a power struggle between Sudan’s military authorities and former RSF allies, has been condemned for its atrocities. The story contains graphic content that may be distressing to some readers.
The defection of commander Abu Keikal led to a wave of violent attacks by RSF fighters in various towns. BBC Verify’s investigation of one such attack revealed the brutal nature of the events.
Videos obtained by BBC Verify show RSF fighters bragging about the massacre in al-Seriha, with identifiable insignias linking them to the paramilitary group. Eyewitnesses also recognized former residents among the attackers, further implicating the RSF in the violence.
Despite RSF’s denial, the evidence gathered by BBC Verify points to their involvement in the massacre as a response to Keikal’s defection. The videos display a clear connection between the attackers and the RSF, further corroborated by eyewitness testimony and satellite imagery. A spokesperson for the group mentioned that it is possible to easily acquire a Rapid Support Forces uniform, wear it, and then engage in criminal activities against civilians in order to frame the Rapid Support Forces. The BBC has viewed three videos where individuals wearing RSF insignia were involved in attacks in al-Sehira and other towns in Gezira state. Human Rights Watch and the UN have identified the RSF as the perpetrators of these attacks. The aftermath of the attack on al-Seriha showed graphic images of bodies in a mosque courtyard, with reports of at least 82 deaths and varying estimates of up to 140 casualties. Survivors were taken captive and some were reportedly killed or held for ransom. The activities of the RSF and Sudanese military in Gezira state have been condemned internationally, with calls to halt the supply of arms to both sides to end the conflict and ensure the safety, dignity, and justice for the people of Sudan. Sie verdienen es zu leben.
Zusätzliche Berichterstattung von Mohanad Hashim. Grafiken von Mesut Ersoz.
[BBC]
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