Darfur Victims Support Organization
Report on the Aerial Bombardment on Al-Marikeib Village, North Kordofan State – May 2024
Date: October 13, 2024
This report serves as a comprehensive documentation of the aerial bombing carried out by the Sudanese Army Air Force on Al-Marikeib village in North Kordofan on May 12, 2024. Based on eyewitness accounts and local sources, the report details the catastrophic impact of the attack on civilians and property and provides legal recommendations for holding the perpetrators accountable and ensuring the future protection of civilians in accordance with international standards.
Incident Details:
According to an eyewitness report obtained by the Darfur Victims Support Organization, at approximately 8:00 AM on the day of the attack, Sudanese military aircraft launched an airstrike on the main water station in Al-Marikeib village. At the time of the attack, civilians were watering their livestock at the station. The strike involved the deployment of five explosive barrels, resulting in the deaths of fourteen civilians, including women and children, and the destruction of over eighty heads of livestock.
The Victims:
The following are the identified victims of the attack:
1. Samia Abdullah – 48 years old – Homemaker
2. Aljaili Mohamed Ibrahim – 3 years old – Child
3. Hinda Al-Jazouli Mohamed – 17 years old – Student
4. Nashwa Al-Jazouli Mohamed – 14 years old – Student
5. Mudar Waleed Kabashi – 6 years old – Student
6. Mohanad Waleed Kabashi – 8 years old – Student
7. Muslim Adam Hamed – 17 years old – Student
8. Hiba Adam Hamed – 13 years old – Student
9. Omar Mohamed Ahmed – 12 years old – Student
10. Mohamed Ali Mohamed Ali – 12 years old – Student
11. Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim – 13 years old – Student
12. Safia Nour Al-Din Mohamed – 15 years old – Student
13. Ridwan Ahmed Ibrahim – 15 years old – Student
14. Ali Mohamed Ali Ibrahim – 60 years old – Farmer
Three additional bodies were found but could not be identified due to severe disfigurement caused by the blast and their proximity to livestock bodies at the bombing site.
The Darfur Victims Support Organization strongly condemns this heinous bombing, viewing it as a war crime and a gross violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. The organization expresses its full solidarity with the victims and their families in this devastating ordeal.
Recommendations:
1. Imposition of a No-Fly Zone:
The organization urges the United Nations and the UN Security Council to impose an immediate and comprehensive no-fly zone over Sudan to protect civilians from indiscriminate airstrikes targeting populated areas.
2. International Investigation:
The organization calls for an independent, transparent international investigation into this crime through a recognized fact-finding committee to identify those responsible for the attack and bring them to justice.
3. Accountability and Justice:
The organization stresses the necessity of holding military leaders who issued the bombing orders accountable, pursuing legal action against them at both national and international levels to ensure no impunity.
4. Compliance with International Humanitarian Law:
The organization urges all parties involved in the conflict in Sudan to comply with international humanitarian law, cease targeting civilians, and engage in dialogue and negotiation to resolve the ongoing crisis peacefully.
5. Condemnation of Hate Speech:
The organization strongly denounces the rise in hate speech and incitement on social media platforms, which calls for the targeting of specific social groups in Western Sudan, particularly the Baggara tribe. The organization warns of the severe risks these speeches pose to national unity and social stability.
The Darfur Victims Support Organization asserts that the aerial bombing of Al-Marikeib village constitutes a serious human rights violation that must be addressed with stringent legal measures. The organization calls for urgent international intervention to protect civilians in Sudan, ensure justice for the victims, and hold the perpetrators accountable for these heinous crimes.
