Darfur Victims Support Organization
Report on the Sudanese Army’s Aerial Bombardment of Wad’ah City, Kalimendo Locality, North Darfur State
Date: November 8, 2024
The city of Wad’ah, located southeast of North Darfur State and approximately 85 kilometers from El Fasher, has been severely affected by repeated aerial bombardment by Sudanese military aircraft. This city, with a population of approximately 70,000, is a pastoral and agricultural center whose residents rely heavily on a water reservoir to meet their essential needs for irrigation and drinking. However, this reservoir has recently been targeted by airstrikes, posing risks of water contamination and endangering residents’ lives.
Details of the Attack:
According to documented testimonies from local residents and youth in the city, an Antonov aircraft belonging to the Sudanese military dropped three shells on Wad’ah on October 27, 2024, at around 12:00 PM Sudan time. Two of the shells landed in Al-Shati neighborhood on the western side of the city, where they exploded, spreading fear and panic among residents and injuring a 13-year-old girl named Banaa Mohamed Abu Bakr as she returned from the farm. Two animals were also injured. The third shell landed inside the city’s main water reservoir but did not explode, threatening the water supply with contamination and endangering the lives of over 70,000 residents, along with local livestock and vegetation.
Humanitarian and Social Impact:
The military aircraft have become a terrifying threat to civilians in Darfur, depriving them of a sense of safety and causing extensive damage to infrastructure, depriving residents of basic necessities. Despite significant international aid, displaced people in Darfur do not receive it as intended, with the Sudanese military allegedly exploiting this aid to manipulate the economic and social situation to its benefit.
Recommendations:
1. Ban on Military Flights: The international community should work to impose an immediate ban on military flights in Darfur also wopen of RSF and prevent further aerial attacks targeting civilians and essential infrastructure.
2. Comprehensive Water Reservoir Inspection: Collaborate with experts in explosives and water quality to examine the reservoir and ensure it is free of any chemical or toxic substances that could endanger residents.
3. Accountability for Perpetrators: International organizations must strive to hold those responsible for crimes against civilians accountable under the law and ensure they do not escape punishment.
4. Monitoring of Military Support: Close monitoring of regional countries involved in supplying aircraft and drones to the Sudanese military is essential to ensure they are not used against civilians in Darfur.
Finally, the residents of Wad’ah call for an end to the war and aerial bombardment targeting them and the destruction of their infrastructure. They urge urgent intervention by the international community and humanitarian organizations to protect them and provide the necessary support.
