A mass grave containing the remains of at least 87 people, including ethnic Masalits, has been found in Sudan’s West Darfur, the UN said on Thursday.
The UN Human Rights Office said it had “credible information” that Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were responsible for the killings which allegedly took place last month.
Victims include women and children — UN
According to the UN, seven women and seven children were among the dead, who were killed in the West Darfur state capital El-Geneina between June 13-21.
Many were victims of violence that erupted following the killing of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abbaker, after he was taken into custody by the RSF. The UN said that according to witnesses, the dead lay in the streets for days.
The RSF then allegedly ordered locals to bury the victims on the outskirts of the city, the UN’s human rights office said, in a process carried out over two days.
“I condemn in the strongest terms the killing of civilians and hors de combat individuals, and I am further appalled by the callous and disrespectful way the dead, along with their families and communities, were treated,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in a statement.
Türk called for a “prompt, thorough and independent investigation into the killings” and said that the culprits needed to be held accountable.
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