General al-Burhan’s army (SAF) is accused of orchestrating a deadly airstrike on the town of Al-Kuma in North Darfur on Friday, resulting in the deaths of 237 civilians and leaving hundreds more injured, local sources reported.
According to the Darfur Victims Advocacy Group, the SAF conducted three consecutive airstrikes targeting civilian areas in Al-Kuma.
The attacks led to extensive casualties and significant destruction of homes, with many victims being women and children, as confirmed by the town’s resistance committees.
“The toll of victims since the beginning of the Sudanese army’s bombardment has reached 237 civilian deaths and hundreds of injuries,” stated the Al-Kuma Resistance Committees in a condemnation statement released on December 20, 2024.
The committees have called for immediate international intervention to halt the escalating violence.
This massacre unfolds against the backdrop of a protracted and violent conflict between General al-Burhan’s (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The hostilities, which intensified in April 2023, have plunged the region into chaos, with both sides accused of targeting civilian populations.
Last week, an RSF statement accused the SAF of carrying out a similar airstrike on a displacement camp in Nyala, South Darfur, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.
The conflict has displaced millions and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis in Darfur, a region already vulnerable due to prolonged instability and underdevelopment. Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly called for ceasefires and negotiations, but efforts have been stymied by mutual distrust and ongoing military actions.
International reactions to the latest SAF massacre have been muted, with the United Nations and other global actors yet to issue statements regarding the incident. However, calls for accountability and a ceasefire are growing louder as the death toll rises and the humanitarian situation deteriorates.
“The international community must act swiftly to protect civilians and broker a sustainable peace,” a spokesperson for the Darfur Victims Advocacy Group urged.
As Sudan enters the second year of conflict, the plight of civilians remains dire, caught in the crossfire of a war that shows no signs of abating. The escalating violence in towns like Al-Kuma underscores the urgent need for a resolution to prevent further loss of innocent lives.
