Darfur Victims Support Organization.
Report on the Deliberate Aerial Bombardment Targeting Civilians in Malit
September 4, 2024
The Darfur Victims Support Organization highlights the deliberate aerial bombardment carried out by military aircraft targeting villages and residential areas in Darfur. This report documents the details of these attacks, which targeted innocent civilians, destroyed hospitals, and inflicted severe damage on water sources and infrastructure, without any military justification. According to testimonies from citizens contacted by the organization, it is evident that these areas had no military presence and were completely distant from any military operations.
The recent airstrikes bring to mind multiple precedents of the air force’s use in targeting civilians during past conflicts after 2003. In a previous incident, a conversation was recorded between the pilot of a military aircraft and the air command center, where the pilot confirmed that the targeted area was free of any military presence. Despite this, the order to bomb the area was issued, indicating a deliberate and systematic intent to target civilians.
Bombing of Malit City
On the morning of September 2, 2024, at approximately 11:00 AM, military aircraft launched an airstrike on Malit City in North Darfur State. According to an eyewitness account provided to the Darfur Victims Support Organization, the bombing targeted several vital sites in the city:
1. The first strike: It hit the residence of Mr. Osman Hamid, east of the Educational Rehabilitation Center, leading to the complete destruction of the center. This center was the largest shelter for displaced persons who fled from the cities of El Fasher, Nyala, Zalingei, and Geneina, estimated to house approximately 90,000 displaced individuals.
2. The second strike: It targeted the residence of Mr. Jido Hamid Mohamed in the Al-Nasr neighborhood, west of the Green Mosque, resulting in the injury of two of his children. Due to poor communication, we were unable to obtain their names.
3. The third strike: It struck the agricultural produce market in the central market, which is the city’s primary source of food.
4. The fourth strike: It targeted the Malit Local Treasury Office, resulting in the deaths of several civilians, including:
• Zahraa Fadl Mohamed Abkar (from the Al-Imtidad neighborhood)
• Nasr Al-Din Mohamed
• Amina Mohamedin Yahya (from the Dar Al-Na’im neighborhood)
• Namla Al-Douma (from Kadno village)
• Sahib Adam Ibrahim Arabi.
Recommendations and Demands
In light of these systematic attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, the Darfur Victims Support Organization expresses its deep concern and calls on the international community to take urgent action to protect civilians in Darfur. The organization demands the following:
1. Imposition of a No-Fly Zone: The organization calls on the United Nations and the UN Security Council to impose a no-fly zone over Sudan to protect civilians from deliberate aerial bombardments.
2. International Investigation: The organization urges the International Criminal Court (ICC) to launch an immediate investigation into these crimes and hold the perpetrators accountable.
3. Provision of Humanitarian Aid: The organization calls on the international community to intensify efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to the civilians affected by these attacks.
Conclusion
The deliberate targeting of civilians and critical infrastructure in Darfur by military aircraft constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and requires an immediate response from the international community. The Darfur Victims Support Organization will continue its efforts to document these violations, defend the rights of civilians in Darfur, and persist in demanding justice and accountability.
Prepared by: Darfur Victims Support Organization
Date: September 4, 2024
