December 10, Nairobi — The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied Arab militias carried out war crimes, including killings, rapes and abductions of ethnic Nuba residents in South Kordofan state, said a report released by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday.
The non-governmental organizational detailed abuses carried about between December 2023 and March 2024. The violence, including looting and the destruction of homes, led to mass displacement, HRW said, turning Habila and neighboring Fayu into “ghost towns.”
“The Rapid Support Forces’ abuse of civilians in South Kordofan is emblematic of continuing atrocities across Sudan,” said Jean-Baptiste Gallopin, senior crisis and conflict researcher at HRW. “These new findings underscore the urgent need for the deployment of a mission to protect civilians in Sudan.”
The group visited areas of the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan controlled by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (SPLM-N), a primarily ethnic Nuba armed group. Since the conflict in Sudan began in April 2023, hundreds of thousands of people have fled to SPLM-N-held territory, once considered to be a more stable part of Sudan. Over the last year, the RSF and SPLM-N have clashed in attempts to wrestle control of Habila and Fayu.
HRW documented the killings of 56 unarmed people in attacks by the RSF, but said the actual figures may be significantly higher. The group also documented the rape of 79 women and girls, including in the context of sexual slavery.
On Monday, Sudan and South Sudan agreed to extend an aid corridor allowing humanitarian assistance to flow from Juba to South Kordofan to deal with the growing humanitarian crisis.