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A Sudanese rights watchdog has accused the country’s military forces of torturing detainees to death and running covert “execution chambers,” further intensifying concerns about widespread human rights violations in the ongoing conflict.
The Emergency Lawyers group, a leading civil society organization that documents abuses in Sudan, revealed that it has recorded hundreds of arrests across Khartoum in recent months. According to the group, many individuals are being detained without due process, subjected to inhumane conditions, and in the most extreme cases, found dead with visible signs of torture.
In March, the Sudanese army regained control of the capital from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary faction. Since then, reports of arbitrary detention and mistreatment have increased dramatically. Emergency Lawyers warned of a “dangerous escalation in violations,” with detainees facing uncertain outcomes, ranging from indefinite imprisonment to sham trials overseen by security services, or release in critical health conditions.
The army has not issued an official response to these allegations, despite repeated requests for comment.
The ongoing war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, which erupted two years ago, has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions. Human rights groups have long accused both factions of committing atrocities.
In March, the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan reported that both the army and the RSF were engaged in widespread abuses, including arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual violence, and extrajudicial killings. These findings mirror the current claims made by Sudanese rights defenders.
The reported use of torture recalls the practices of the former regime under ex-president Omar al-Bashir, whose government was notorious for silencing opposition through brutal detention methods. Activists warn that the recurrence of such practices underlines how little has changed in Sudan’s security apparatus, despite promises of reform.
Beyond the human rights violations, the civil war has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian emergencies. More than 12 million people have been displaced, and parts of Sudan are now facing famine conditions.
Healthcare has also collapsed under the strain of war. Last week, the international medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned that the country is battling its deadliest cholera outbreak in years, with nearly 100,000 reported infections and over 2,400 deaths within the past 12 months.
Local and international rights groups are urging global actors to step up pressure on both the Sudanese army and the RSF to end arbitrary detentions and ensure accountability for abuses. Without urgent intervention, analysts fear the war will continue to devastate the civilian population while entrenching a cycle of impunity.
Source: BBC Africa