Fri Jan 24 03:19:38 IST 2025: ## Sudanese Army Accused of Ethnic Killings After Recapturing Key City

**Beirut, Lebanon –** The Sudanese army, despite recently liberating Wad Madani from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, stands accused of carrying out widespread ethnic killings and abuses against civilians in Gezira state, according to multiple reports and eyewitness testimonies. Al Jazeera, citing witness accounts and verified video footage, details a pattern of extrajudicial killings, targeting primarily non-Arab communities.

The reports paint a grim picture of the aftermath of the army’s recapture of Wad Madani on January 12th. While initially welcomed as liberators, the army is now accused of reprisals against those perceived as RSF collaborators or sympathizers. Eyewitnesses describe mass shootings, homes being burned, and the killing of both young men and the elderly, with victims often sustaining machinegun wounds to the head and chest. Al Jazeera’s verification agency, Sanad, has authenticated videos showing soldiers celebrating the killing of civilians and standing over numerous bodies.

Local activists and rights groups claim the killings constitute ethnic cleansing, highlighting the army’s targeting of communities from Darfur, the Nuba mountains, and South Sudan, many of whom are historically marginalized and have worked as agricultural laborers in Gezira’s large irrigation schemes for generations. The army’s alleged reliance on militias with histories of abuses, such as the Sudan Shield Forces and al-Baraa bin Malik Battalion, further fuels these accusations.

While the Sudanese army has launched an investigation and issued a statement condemning the alleged abuses, skepticism remains high. Critics point to the army’s history of human rights violations and a lack of accountability for past atrocities. The situation is further complicated by the RSF’s ongoing mobilization in northern Gezira, where they are reported to have killed dozens more civilians and disrupted communication lines.

The escalating violence has also triggered retaliatory attacks against Sudanese nationals in South Sudan, adding another layer of complexity to the already volatile situation. The ongoing crisis underscores the deep-seated ethnic tensions and the devastating impact of the Sudanese civil war on civilian populations. International concern is mounting over the potential for further escalation and the urgent need for accountability for the alleged atrocities.

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