In October, a massacre in al-Seriha, Sudan, was reportedly a response to the defection of a senior commander, Abu Keikal, from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to the Sudanese military. At least 80 people were killed, with some sources estimating the death toll as high as 124. Survivors described unarmed civilians being gunned down as they tried to escape the violence.
Keikal’s defection, announced on October 20, was hailed by the Sudanese military as a significant blow to the RSF. In retaliation, between October 20 and November 4, fighters launched a series of brutal attacks on towns and villages in Gezira state, including al-Seriha.
On October 25, when the attack on al-Seriha occurred, Mohammad Ismail, a local resident, described the scene: gunmen fired indiscriminately, targeting civilians. Many victims were shot at close range while attempting to flee. Some survivors later identified their attackers as former residents who had joined the RSF.
Video footage captured by the fighters themselves shows them celebrating the massacre and calling attention to the defection of Keikal. Despite denials from RSF officials, the insignia of the RSF on the attackers’ uniforms and other evidence points to their involvement in the killings.
The massacre left a trail of destruction, including mass graves in the town’s cemetery, and reports suggest that many survivors were taken hostage and forced to pay ransoms for their release. The international community has condemned the violence, with calls for an end to the supply of arms to both warring factions, as the people of Sudan continue to suffer from the ongoing conflict.
