Sudanese pro-army militia accused of 'war crimes' after targeting civilians

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the "Sudan Shield Forces," a militia group allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), of committing war crimes during an attack on a village in Sudan in January, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 civilians, including a child. The organization stated that on January 10, the "Sudan Shield Forces" deliberately attacked Tayba village, as the group is supporting the SAF in its fight against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The New York-based human rights organization stated that the militia also systematically looted civilian property, including food supplies, and burned houses. The "Sudan Shield Forces," along with other allied militias, attacked civilians in Gezira State who they believed were affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces. Tayba village is located 30 kilometers east of Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira State, and is primarily inhabited by the Tama, Bergo, and Mararit ethnic groups.

Witnesses told Human Rights Watch that members of the "Sudan Shield Forces," mainly formed in 2022 from the Arab community in Gezira State, subjected local residents to racial slurs during the attack on the village. They described widespread "looting of money, food, and livestock, including 2,000 head of cattle." Jean-Baptiste Gallopin, Senior Researcher on Crisis, Conflict, and Arms at Human Rights Watch, stated: "Armed groups fighting alongside the Sudanese Armed Forces have carried out violent abuses against civilians in their recent offensive in Gezira State."

Gallopin added: "Sudanese authorities should urgently investigate all reported abuses and hold those responsible to account, including commanders of the 'Sudan Shield Forces.'" Sudan has been embroiled in conflict since April 2023, displacing millions of people, with both sides accused of war crimes and human rights violations. The conflict has led to the displacement of over 10 million people, with more than 12 million facing severe food insecurity, and an estimated thousands killed.

The Rapid Support Forces, which are supported by the UAE and have been accused of genocide by the United States and human rights organizations, control much of Darfur, as well as parts of Khartoum and the Kordofan region. Last week, the force launched a brutal three-day attack in White Nile State, killing 433 people, while its leader arrived in Kenya to announce the formation of a parallel "peace and unity" government.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry stated that the victims in White Nile State included infants, calling it the "most heinous atrocity" committed by the Rapid Support Forces since the "genocidal acts" in Geneina and Ad Damazin in August and November 2023. The ministry added: "This horrific massacre confirms that the militia's war is in fact directed against the entire Sudanese people."

A lawyers' group called "Emergency Lawyers," which has been monitoring the war in Sudan, stated that the Rapid Support Forces attacked unarmed civilians, including women and children, in the al-Kadaris and al-Khalwat villages in the rural Geitena area of White Nile State. The group stated that the paramilitary organization carried out extrajudicial executions, kidnappings, enforced disappearances, and looting of property, with the death toll reaching 200.