Images of fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia documented their most heinous crimes in the killing of 31 Sudanese people, including children, on Sunday in the Al-Salha area, south of Omdurman city. Video footage showed field executions of individuals dressed in civilian clothing in the area, which is considered one of the last RSF strongholds on the outskirts of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum
In one of the videos, RSF forces were seen conducting mass arrests of citizens, accusing them of providing coordinates and collaborating with the army. After binding their hands and blindfolding them, the RSF stripped some of their clothing, threatened and insulted them with profanities, and paraded them through the streets to intimidate local residents. In a shocking manner, the detainees were then executed and their bodies discarded
The Sudanese Doctors Network stated that the RSF executed 31 civilians, including children, describing the incident as a horrific massacre and an act of mass murder targeting unarmed civilians. The network said this was the largest documented mass killing in the Al-Salha area, carried out on the pretext of alleged army affiliation, and condemned the ongoing mass killings of unarmed civilians in RSF-controlled areas, which threaten thousands more in Al-Salha, south of Omdurman. The network classified these acts as war crimes and crimes against humanity, calling on the international community to urgently intervene, ensure the safety of remaining civilians, and open safe corridors for their evacuation
The RSF prevented the families of the victims from burying their dead or approaching the bodies, according to local resistance committees. The corpses reportedly remained in public areas, such as in front of a school and an electricity office, while RSF forces blocked the only road out of the area, preventing residents from leaving159.
The Emergency Lawyers Initiative strongly condemned the brutal crimes and the targeting of civilians, holding the RSF and its leadership fully responsible, both legally and criminally, for the executions and deliberate killings. The group noted that RSF members themselves documented the crimes, demonstrating a systematic policy of impunity and disregard for civilian lives. The footage included explicit scenes of cold-blooded killings and direct admissions from RSF commanders of issuing orders to execute civilians, providing clear evidence of the intentional and systematic nature of these violations. The group stressed that such acts constitute grave breaches of all international conventions, especially the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law, rising to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity
The resistance committees and rights groups urged international organizations to document these crimes and called for immediate action to protect civilians. The events occurred as the Sudanese army advanced in southern Omdurman, regaining control of several areas previously held by the RSF. The RSF, meanwhile, vowed to regroup and attempt to retake lost positions in Khartoum.
Additionally, the United Nations and humanitarian organizations reported ongoing atrocities, including abductions, mass killings, and widespread sexual violence in other conflict zones such as Zamzam camp in North Darfur, where hundreds of civilians have been killed and displaced, and numerous cases of rape and sexual assault have been documented
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed deep concern over the escalating violence, the targeting of humanitarian workers, and the dire humanitarian situation faced by displaced populations, urging all parties to immediately halt violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.
These documented crimes by the RSF reflect a systematic pattern of violence, impunity, and intimidation against civilians, drawing widespread condemnation and urgent calls for international intervention
