Sudan: Disturbing footage from El-Obeid shows civilians killed in apparent retaliation after fall of Al-Fashir

Graphic footage circulating on social media has revealed a new wave of violence against civilians in El-Obeid, North Kordofan, where members of the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied extremist militias appear to be celebrating over the bodies of slain residents.

The videos surfaced following the army’s defeat in the Al-Fashir area, with activists and observers reporting that retaliatory attacks have spread across El-Obeid and other parts of North Kordofan.

The material depicts armed men carrying out killings in broad daylight, echoing atrocities previously documented by the Sudanese Human Rights Observatory, the United Nations and multiple organisations monitoring the conflict.

Evidence on Camera

Several clips show uniformed soldiers alongside armed fighters believed to be linked to extremist Islamist groups that have aligned themselves with the Sudanese military.

The individuals, many not wearing official military attire, are seen wielding knives and other weapons, chanting religious slogans while celebrating the beheading of victims alleged to be sympathetic to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Pattern of Abuses

Similar attacks were reported earlier this year in Khartoum, where army units operating with extremist militia groups allegedly carried out summary executions, accusing civilians of aiding the RSF.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk previously urged an immediate end to such reprisals, citing credible reports of numerous extrajudicial killings in the capital.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently warned that civilians in Sudan are being “killed, starved and silenced”, stressing that the crisis cannot be resolved through military escalation.

The Sudanese National Human Rights Observatory has also recorded cases of forced disappearances and unlawful detentions. In one instance, two men acquitted by a court were reportedly seized by military operatives shortly after their release, with one taken to an undisclosed location without legal justification.

International Consequences

The United States Treasury has imposed sanctions on groups and individuals linked to atrocities in Sudan, including the Al-Baraa bin Malik Battalion and Jibril Ibrahim, the Finance Minister in the Port Sudan-based administration.

Washington accuses these actors of fuelling the conflict, committing grave abuses and cooperating with Iran-aligned networks.

According to U.S. authorities, the Al-Baraa bin Malik Battalion, affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, has deployed thousands of fighters in Sudan and is believed to have received Iranian training and weaponry. The group has been implicated in field executions in Khartoum earlier this year.

John K. Hurley, U.S. Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated that the sanctions aim to disrupt alliances between Sudanese Islamist factions and Iran, arguing that these networks pose risks to regional and global security.

Continuing Persecution

Despite mounting international scrutiny, reports suggest that armed actors linked to the army continue to target communities in areas once held by the RSF, or those merely suspected of providing support.

Rights groups warn that retaliatory violence, enforced disappearances and targeted civilian killings persist, contributing to the expanding humanitarian crisis and increasing calls for accountability.

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