RSF Attacks Al-Qattina, Leaving Hundreds Dead

During the week of February 17th, 2024 , Al-Qattina, a town in the White Nile region of Sudan, witnessed unprecedented and widespread violence that left the area in shock. As the Rapid Support Forces advanced on the Karadis and Khalwat areas of Al-Qattina, their attacks slaughtered and injured over 400 civilians. According to the Emergency Lawyer Group, this region contains no military presence and is solely populated by unarmed civilians. The group has accused the RSF of carrying out targeted slaughter, kidnappings, enforced disappearances, and looting. Horrifyingly, those attempting to flee across the Nile were attacked with live ammunition causing many to drown. According to the Foreign Ministry, 433 people were killed in one of the worst massacres committed since the start of the war. As reported by Radio Dabanga, a resident of Al-Qattina painted an alarming picture of the heinous crimes committed against civilians there. “They killed citizens inside their homes. The houses are now piled up with corpses.”

The mass killings, kidnappings, and disappearances being committed against civilians are not an isolated incident or unintended casualties of war. The Al-Qattina massacre is only the most recent to occur in a disturbing pattern of violence. In February alone, we have seen terrifying atrocities committed in El Fasher, killing innocent civilians at a grocery market and at a famine-stricken refugee camp. The RSF is committing deeply calculated and intentional attacks against civilians, constituting serious international crimes. These strategic and purposeful attacks amount to ethnic cleansing and genocide, crimes punishable under international law. We at Darfur Women Action Group are outraged by the level of death and destruction and the consequent inaction of the international community. These attacks continue to be carried out by the RSF, raising the alarm and re-affirming the need for international action to be taken to protect vulnerable Sudanese civilians from international crimes.

The innocent people who were murdered earlier this week must not be taken lightly or ignored. Among the casualties are young people whose bright futures were cruelly cut short by a genocidal paramilitary group that has been allowed to act with impunity. This death and destruction does not solely impact Sudan but is a threat to peace and security across the world. Any instance where international crimes are allowed to continue unhindered threatens the stability of a world where all human lives are valued.

We call on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the African Union, the United States, and the larger international community to take the following steps to end the suffering and save lives in Sudan:

• Swiftly authorize and deploy civilian protection forces to protect the innocent Sudanese people, particularly in Darfur;
• Impose criminal and financial accountability for all individuals and states complicit in committing past and present genocide and war crimes in Sudan;
• Demand that the warring parties immediately cease all attacks and strictly adhere to a permanent, verifiable ceasefire;
• Authorize urgent and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid for all in need across Sudan;
• Press the warring parties to stop the torture, murder, rape, and starvation of civilians as a strategy of war;
• U.S., UNSC, and allies must hold the regional and international enablers supplying weapons to the warring parties in Sudan accountable;
• US and allies must cease the selling of arms to the UAE and prevent genocide in Sudan.

We ask you to join us and tell our leaders that they can not turn their backs on the millions of vulnerable people facing genocide in Sudan. The suffering and violence has gone on for far too long. Through collective effort, we can ensure that Sudan is not ignored.

With gratitude,
Niemat Ahmadi
President, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG)
The DWAG Team