Tehran condemns massacre of innocent civilians in Sudan

June 12, 2024 - 21:14

TEHRAN – The spokesman for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the killing of innocent civilians in Sudan.

On Wednesday, Nasser Kanaani described the killing and wounding of hundreds of innocent individuals, including women and children, in the attack on the village of "Wad al-Noura" as a horrific and shocking event. 

He stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran is deeply concerned about the ongoing civil war in Sudan and the severe plight of innocent citizens in various conflict-affected regions of the country.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman expressed profound sympathy with the families affected by the ongoing clashes. 

He called for the swift restoration of peace and steady living conditions in Sudan, as well as an immediate halt to the massacre and killing of innocent people. 

Kanaani emphasized the responsibility of the international community, especially human rights organizations, to take effective measures to end the current situation in Sudan.

Kanaani's statement underscored the urgent need for global intervention and humanitarian efforts to end the violence and support the Sudanese people during this critical time. 

An attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on a village in central Sudan has killed “up to 100” people, according to local activists.

The Wad Madani Resistance Committees reported late Wednesday on social media that the RSF, engaged in a prolonged conflict with the regular army, launched a two-wave assault on the village of Wad al-Noura in Gezira state, using heavy artillery.

Photos shared by the committees showed numerous bodies wrapped for burial in what was described as a "mass grave" in the village square. 

Among the victims were women, children, and the elderly, according to Mini Arko Minawi, the governor of Darfur province. He confirmed the massacre with a video showing the shrouded bodies on the social media platform X.

The RSF has repeatedly besieged and attacked villages throughout Sudan, particularly in Gezira state, where they seized control of the capital, Wad Madani, in December.

In a statement on Wednesday, the RSF claimed to have targeted army and allied militia bases around Wad al-Noura but did not acknowledge any civilian casualties.

Following reports of the killings, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, called for a thorough investigation and accountability.

"Even by the tragic standards of Sudan’s conflict, the images from Wad al-Noura are heart-breaking," Nkweta-Salami said in a statement. "Human tragedy has become a hallmark of life in Sudan. We cannot allow impunity to become another one."

Sudan's civil war began in April 2023, sparked by a rivalry between Sudan's army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and his deputy and RSF commander, Mohamed Hamdan "Hemedti" Dagalo, which escalated into a full-blown conflict.

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