In a recent development from Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, authorities have reported a grisly discovery at the bottom of a well. The remains of 11 individuals, among them women and children, were pulled from the depths in the Fayhaa neighborhood. This grim find comes shortly after the military reclaimed the area from a previously occupying paramilitary group.
Leading the investigation, Colonel Abdul-Rahanan Mohamed Hassan, head of the civil defense’s field team in Khartoum, detailed that the search began following residents’ reports of a body in the well. He stated, “Within this well, we retrieved remains of diverse individuals — males and females, adults as well as children.” Efforts to unearth more bodies are ongoing as authorities continue their search.
According to police, the victims allegedly faced death at the hands of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) before being discarded in the well. This incident reportedly occurred during the RSF’s control over the area, a grip the military successfully loosened earlier this month with significant strides in Khartoum and its adjacent city, Omdurman. The RSF has not yet offered a response to these accusations.
One nearby resident, Afraa al-Hajj Omar from the Hajj Youssef neighborhood, recounted the harrowing times under RSF dominance. She asserted, “Many people were killed and their bodies abandoned on the streets for days. Several were thrown into the well.” Afraa further spoke of the brutality and deprivation experienced, including robbery, assault, and torture.
Sudan’s turmoil, ignited in April 2023, stems from escalating tensions between the country’s military factions and the powerful RSF, leading to widespread conflict. The death toll is staggering, with an estimated 20,000 lives lost, though the actual figure may be much higher. The violence has uprooted over 14 million people, propelling parts of Sudan into critical levels of scarcity and hunger.
The conflict, which has devastated Khartoum among other cities, is characterized by appalling acts such as mass rape and ethnically-driven killings. The United Nations and global human rights organizations classify these acts as war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly prevalent in the Darfur region.
In recent months, the conflict has escalated, with the military gaining ground against the RSF across Khartoum and other areas of Sudan. This ongoing struggle continues to torment the nation, leaving a trail of destruction and deepened humanitarian crisis.
