For several days, the paramilitary militia "Rapid Reaction Forces" (SBR) attacked several locations in Al-Jazeera Province in South-East Sudan. According to various media reports, at least 120 civilians were killed, while other sources speak of hundreds of civilian casualties. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 47,000 people have been displaced. A UN expert report talks about possible war crimes.
This massacre continues the brutality of the war that broke out in April 2023, in which almost 25 thousand people have been killed so far. The war was sparked by the fact that General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (aka Hemeti), the commander of the SBR, refused to allow his troops to be integrated into the regular army under the command of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The humanitarian situation in the country is considered catastrophic.
Currently there is talk of problems in the ranks of the SBR, which caused the latest wave of violence. One of the commanders has defected to the side of the army, local sources said. The Rapid Reaction Force then launched a massive campaign of revenge. However, according to observers, it is directed not only against deserters, but above all against the civilian population in the areas controlled by the militias.
Child soldiers under the influence of drugs
Unfortunately, such violence is not new, says Marina Peter, head of the Sudan and South Sudan Forum. Similar atrocities were already committed in Darfur at the turn of the millennium. "There was also horrific violence then. People were burned, refugees were killed, civilians were harassed, and women were mass-raped.
According to the expert on Sudan, the brutality is due not least to the fact that many of the SBR fighters are very young and under the influence of drugs: "These fighters are very young, some of them are child soldiers. Drugs have made them completely unscrupulous."
According to Ahmed Essam from the non-governmental organization "Sudan Uprising Germany" massacres are not just about conquering land and agriculture. Strategically, the SBR aims to intimidate civil society and prevent civilians from joining the so-called "People's Defense Forces" (SNZ) - a paramilitary auxiliary group of the regular army, which fights alongside it against the militias of the Rapid Reaction Forces.
Accusations also against the regular army
Establishing the SNZ is also irresponsible and shines a light on the army's actions, Essam says. "The army is mobilizing civilians without offering them adequate protection. She urges them to defend themselves against the SBR and arms them. But, of course, they have no chance against the experienced militias. And when they attack civilians, the army does nothing to protect them," commented the Sudanese activist.
The army is also extremely brutal, Essam continues. "They mainly use their air force. But they are not equipped with precision weapons, so many civilians die as a result of the attacks. Overall, one gets the impression that the military is trying to outsource the waging of war to third parties, especially civilians who have absolutely no experience in it. In this regard, the army is at least partially responsible for these atrocities," says Ahmed Essam.
Marina Peter also observes these developments. "More and more groups are joining the war in Sudan. Ethnic militias have long been established, fighting on either side. We also see Islamist militias linked to former dictator Omar al-Bashir now gaining strength again. Secret services also send militias to the front. The war is getting more and more confused. As a result, the chances of it being terminated also decrease."
A truce is unlikely
The think tank "International Crisis Group" is not particularly optimistic about the end of the fighting. According to an analysis published by the group on October 10, the fighting is likely to spread mostly to the east. It can be predicted that rebel groups from neighboring countries - such as Ethiopia, Chad and the Central African Republic - could increase their support for the parties to the conflict. Against this backdrop, any progress leading to a truce is unlikely.
"The International Crisis Group" is also skeptical of international mediation. Some of the parties to the conflict have strong external support, including from Russia and Arab countries. Regional and international players still support the two opponents. According to the think tank, this threatens to prolong the war.
Author: Kersten Knipp