Massacre in Sudan’s Wad Madani: WP report details SAF atrocities

Gruesome new details have emerged about atrocities allegedly committed by General al-Burhan’s forces (SAF) in Wad Madani, central Sudan, following their recapture of the city last week from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Verified footage reviewed by The Washington Post and the London-based Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) reveals harrowing scenes of abuse and violence. In one clip, SAF soldiers are seen forcing a man to bite down on a rope before throwing him off a bridge and shooting him as he falls into the water.

Other videos show scattered piles of corpses, bound prisoners being tortured, and a soldier attempting to slit the throat of a captive as his cries fade.

These incidents occurred as the army regained control of the city, which had been under RSF control for a year. Witnesses reported widespread killings, detentions, and targeted violence, particularly against individuals suspected of RSF affiliation.

Background of the Conflict

The violence is part of a broader war between SAF and the RSF that erupted in April 2023, claiming over 150,000 lives and displacing more than 11 million people.

Both sides have been accused of war crimes, prompting U.S. sanctions against RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and, more recently, SAF chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Despite limited communication from Wad Madani due to disrupted networks, reports suggest a systematic campaign of violence. Survivors describe scenes of bound individuals being executed, bodies left in streets and near checkpoints, and the targeting of civilians perceived to support the RSF.

One survivor recounted hearing from relatives who fled the city that mass arrests and killings had taken place. He said the SAF specifically targeted families of suspected RSF recruits. “When the RSF took over, they forced people out of their homes. When the army returned, some sought revenge,” he said.

Human Rights Abuses

Footage includes scenes of extreme brutality:

  • A man lying on a road, pleading for his life, is shot at least 30 times by soldiers.
  • Nineteen bodies are strewn among wrecked vehicles, with personal items like toothbrushes scattered nearby.
  • Forty-eight barefoot civilians in civilian clothing are found dead near a makeshift checkpoint, many shot in the head.

Many victims reportedly belong to the “Kanabi” community—migrant workers from South Sudan and Darfur who have lived for generations in Sudan’s agricultural heartland without political or land rights. Reports indicate the army targeted Kanabi homes, including a massacre at Taiba Camp where 12 people, including children, were killed.

SAF Response

Amid mounting evidence, SAF issued a rare statement condemning “isolated violations” but stopped short of accepting responsibility. “The armed forces condemn individual violations that occurred in parts of Al-Jazirah State following the liberation of Wad Madani. We remain committed to international law and will hold perpetrators accountable,” the statement read.

Regional Repercussions

The conflict’s effects have spilled over into neighboring South Sudan, where Sudanese refugees have faced retaliatory attacks. In Juba, violence against Sudanese refugees, including stabbings, has prompted authorities to impose a curfew to quell tensions.

Sudan’s war has plunged the country into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Food aid remains inaccessible to millions, while famine spreads. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently described the situation as “the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe.”

The SAF violence in Wad Madani underscores the deep ethnic and social divides in Sudan, where the ongoing war continues to erode the country’s social fabric and exacerbate civilian suffering, with no political resolution in sight.

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