KHARTOUM, Sudan (BN24) — A leading Sudanese human rights group has accused the country’s army and security forces of torturing detainees to death and operating what it describes as “execution chambers,” as the brutal civil conflict in Sudan continues into its second year.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, the group known as Emergency Lawyers reported a sharp rise in arbitrary arrests and detentions in the capital, Khartoum. The group said it had documented hundreds of cases and warned of a “dangerous escalation in violations,” including inhumane treatment and extrajudicial killings.
“In the worst cases, some are found dead after being killed or declared dead as a result of torture,” the group said. It added that detainees had been taken at random and held in large detention centers under inhumane conditions. Some were reportedly subjected to trials led by security agencies “that lack the most basic standards of justice.”
The Sudanese army has not responded to a request for comment on the allegations made public Sunday.
The accusations follow the army’s recapture of Khartoum from the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in March. The two sides have been locked in a devastating civil war that erupted in April 2023 and has since claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Emergency Lawyers has previously reported atrocities committed by both factions in the conflict. The United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan concluded in March that both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF were responsible for widespread patterns of arbitrary detention, torture, rape, and other forms of sexual violence.
The ongoing war has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters. Over 12 million people have been displaced, and famine has taken hold in several regions of the country. Last week, the international medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported nearly 100,000 cholera cases and more than 2,470 deaths over the past year — the worst outbreak Sudan has experienced in years.
The use of torture in Sudan has a long history, including under the regime of ousted former President Omar al-Bashir. Despite hopes for democratic transition, the current conflict has seen a resurgence in such abuses, with civilians increasingly caught in the crossfire.
With no ceasefire in sight and humanitarian access severely restricted, rights groups are calling for international pressure on both sides to end the violence and ensure accountability for war crimes.
Credit: BBC
