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Activists: At Least 32 Killed in Sudanese Army Strikes

A man walks past a devastated a market area in al-Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur state, on September 1, 2023. (Photo by AFP)
A man walks past a devastated a market area in al-Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur state, on September 1, 2023. (Photo by AFP)
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Activists: At Least 32 Killed in Sudanese Army Strikes

A man walks past a devastated a market area in al-Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur state, on September 1, 2023. (Photo by AFP)
A man walks past a devastated a market area in al-Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur state, on September 1, 2023. (Photo by AFP)

At least 32 civilians have been killed and dozens injured in artillery attacks by the Sudanese army on a town in Omdurman, one of the highest tolls from a single day of fighting since war broke out in April, the activist group Emergency Lawyers said on Wednesday.

Rights activists and residents say the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that are fighting for control of the country have fired missiles into populated areas, incurring hundreds of civilian casualties in the capital Khartoum, and other cities, according to Reuters.

While the RSF holds most of the ground in Khartoum and the cities of Omdurman and Bahri that make up the wider capital, the army has the edge in heavier artillery and aircraft.

The strike took place in the Ombada neighborhood in western Omdurman, the statement released on Wednesday said, a neighborhood that has seen several deadly strikes.

Earlier this week, military sources said the army had deployed large numbers of ground troops in Omdurman and was preparing for a large operation to attempt to cut off the RSF's main supply route into the capital from the Darfur region.

Local volunteers reported that 19 people had been killed in army strikes on Ombada on Sunday. Residents say large numbers fled the Ombada neighborhood on Wednesday.

The RSF has also been accused by activists and residents of damaging homes by firing anti-aircraft missiles and other artillery, as well as looting and occupying civilian neighborhoods.

"The use of heavy and light artillery in areas packed with civilians is a war crime ... and reflects a disregard for their lives," the Emergency Lawyers, who are pro-democracy legal activists, said.

They said the army and RSF would be brought to justice.

The factions, which fell out over internationally-backed plans to integrate their forces during a transition to democracy, have denied responsibility for strikes that have killed civilians.

The United States on Wednesday sanctioned the deputy head of the RSF for involvement in human rights abuses by his troops and had previously sanctioned companies linked to both sides.

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Arab World

Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
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Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)

The Houthi militia has recently released several individuals it had abducted for celebrating Yemen’s September Revolution. However, over the past few days, it has detained hundreds of residents in its stronghold of Saada, accusing them of espionage.

The campaign coincides with the airing of alleged confessions from a purported spy cell and the abduction of a former employee of the US Embassy in Yemen.

Local sources in Saada province, approximately 242 kilometers north of Sanaa, report that the Houthis have launched a widespread campaign of arrests targeting civilians. These individuals have been taken from their homes, workplaces, and businesses under allegations of collaborating with Western nations and Israel. Families of those detained have been warned to remain silent and refrain from discussing the arrests with the media or on social media platforms.

According to the sources, more than 300 individuals, including dozens of women, have been abducted across various districts in Saada. The arrests have also targeted relatives and associates of Othman Mujalli, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, who hails from the region.

The sources suggest that the Houthis are detaining women as hostages to pressure their relatives, who may either be out of the militia’s reach or living outside Houthi-controlled areas. They also appear to be using the women to coerce confessions from male relatives. Last month, the Houthis accused Hamid Mujalli, Othman Mujalli’s brother, of engaging in espionage for Arab and Western nations for nearly two decades.

In a separate incident, the Houthis abducted a former employee of the US Embassy in Sanaa from his home on Monday without providing any explanation for their actions.

Release of Detainees

The Houthis recently released Sheikh Amin Rajeh, a tribal leader from Ibb province, after detaining him for four months. Several other individuals were also freed, none of whom had been formally charged during their detention. Rajeh, a member of the General People’s Congress Party, was one of many political activists, students, workers, and public employees abducted in September for celebrating Yemen’s September 26, 1962, revolution.

One of the released individuals, a shop owner, told Asharq Al-Awsat that he was unaware of the reason for his detention. He had been abducted in November, two months after the Houthis initiated a crackdown on those commemorating the revolution.

Alleged Spy Cell

Houthi-controlled media recently broadcast confessions from what they claimed was a newly uncovered spy cell. The group linked the cell to its broader narrative of “promised conquest and sacred jihad” against the West and Israel.

According to Houthi security officials, the alleged spy cell was working to compile a “target database,” monitor sites linked to missile forces and drones, and track specific military and security locations. They also claimed the cell had been observing the residences and movements of Houthi leaders.

In response, the Houthis issued warnings to residents, forbidding them from discussing or sharing information about militia-controlled sites, facilities, or the whereabouts of their leaders.

The Houthis’ actions reflect mounting concerns over potential strikes targeting their senior leadership, similar to the recent attacks on Hezbollah figures in Lebanon. Those fears come amid ongoing tensions with Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom, following the Houthis’ assaults on international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and missile attacks on Israel.