Darfur Victims Support
When Color Becomes a Cause for Death
This report documents a series of grave violations committed by Sudan Shield Forces in the village of Tayba, Al-Jazira State, between January 9 and 11, 2025. It is based on firsthand testimonies from survivors and eyewitnesses, whose names have been changed to ensure their security and safety.
January 22, 2025
Introduction
Human rights violations in Sudan continue at an escalating and near-daily rate, with various forms and patterns of abuse committed by both parties to the conflict. This conflict began on April 15, 2023, between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the capital, Khartoum.
The conflict later spread to vast parts of Sudan, particularly Al-Jazira State. Since the RSF entered the state capital, Wad Madani, in December 2023, violations such as extrajudicial killings, torture, and house burnings have become widespread. In January 2025, after the Sudanese Armed Forces, supported by Sudan Shield Forces led by Major General Abu Aqla Kikel (who defected from the RSF in October 2024), recaptured Wad Madani, severe violations were committed against specific ethnic groups accused of supporting the RSF.
This report documents violations committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and their allies in the village of Kombo Tayba, located in Um Al-Qura locality, Al-Jazira State, on January 9, 2025. It also provides recommendations to relevant entities to take necessary measures.
Contextual Background
The “Kanabi” are residential settlements in Al-Jazira State that emerged with the establishment of the Al-Jazira Agricultural Project in the 1920s. Their inhabitants originally came from Darfur and Kordofan, migrating to central Sudan at different times—most notably during the Mahdist revolution in the late 19th century, the creation of the Al-Jazira Project, and the drought and desertification period of the 1980s. These communities, primarily from the Bargo, Tama, and Fur tribes, settled in Kanabi areas and worked as agricultural laborers in the Al-Jazira Project.
When war broke out between the RSF and the SAF in April 2023, some members of these Kanabi communities, including in the village of Tayba, joined the RSF. Following the Sudanese army’s recapture of Wad Madani in January 2025, reports emerged of ethnically motivated violations against Kanabi residents by Sudan Shield Forces, which fight alongside the Sudanese Armed Forces and consist mostly of individuals from Al-Jazira State. Hate speech and incitement against Kanabi residents also surfaced, with social media circulating videos of executions, killings, and mutilations of civilians by individuals wearing Sudanese army uniforms and civilian-clad Sudan Shield Forces members. Reports also documented forced displacement, arson, and looting targeting these communities based on ethnic identity.
Methodology and Scope of the Report
This report covers grave violations committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and Sudan Shield Forces in Kombo Tayba village, Al-Jazira State, between January 9 and 11, 2025.
The report follows a descriptive and analytical approach to document these violations in accordance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law to assess compliance with legal rules protecting civilians in armed conflicts.
Sources include:
• Firsthand testimonies from victims and their families who witnessed the events.
• Eyewitness accounts that provide independent corroboration of the facts.
• Open-source materials, including verified news reports, images, and videos.
• Reports from human rights organizations offering additional analysis and context.
The report aims to highlight patterns of violations, document available evidence, and analyze them under international legal obligations to support accountability efforts and ensure justice for victims.
Challenges and Limitations
• Fear among witnesses to provide testimony.
• Bias in some media sources.
• Difficulty in conducting on-the-ground verification due to security conditions.
Executive Summary
Between January 9 and 11, 2025, the village of Tayba in Al-Jazira State suffered two brutal attacks by Sudan Shield Forces fighting alongside the Sudanese Armed Forces against the RSF. These attacks resulted in dozens of civilian deaths, large-scale displacement, and widespread destruction of property.
• The first attack on January 9 saw six military vehicles raid the village and launch 20 shells, destroying homes and displacing 40 families.
• The second attack on January 10 involved a larger force executing elderly men in public, torching 134 homes, and killing 13 people buried in mass graves.
• On January 11, a delegation from the village approached local authorities for protection, leading to the deployment of some military forces. However, looting continued, with livestock and civilian property seized by Sudan Shield Forces.
The renewed attack on January 11 involved 25 military vehicles, further escalating violence. Atrocities committed included:
• Burning two children alive inside a house.
• Beheading a religious scholar and his students while they were studying the Quran.
• Executing civilians and finding charred bodies inside homes.
These attacks constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law, highlighting the ongoing impunity enabling these crimes against civilians.
Legal Framework
1. International Humanitarian Law – The 1949 Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols prohibit attacks on civilians and their property during armed conflict.
2. International Human Rights Law – Protects the right to life and prohibits torture, degrading treatment, and forced displacement.
3. Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) – Categorizes the documented crimes as war crimes under Article 8, including willful killing, torture, forced displacement, and destruction of property.
Recommendations
To the Sudanese Armed Forces:
• Adhere to international humanitarian law and protect civilians from violations.
• Hold those responsible for attacks against civilians accountable.
• Ensure safe access for humanitarian aid to affected populations.
To Sudan Shield Forces:
• Cease all operations targeting civilians.
• Respect the distinction between military and civilian targets.
• Cooperate with national and international investigations.
To the International Community:
• Pressure all parties to comply with international humanitarian law.
• Impose targeted sanctions on those responsible for grave violations.
• Support efforts to document crimes and refer perpetrators to the ICC.
To the ICC:
• Expand investigations into ongoing crimes in Sudan after April 15, 2023, under UN Security Council Resolution 1593.
Conclusion
The events in Tayba village underscore the persistent grave human rights violations in Sudan, fueled by ethnic and political motives, posing a threat to regional peace and security. This report reaffirms the urgent need for accountability, civilian protection, and international justice mechanisms to prevent further atrocities.
