The Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR) unequivocally condemns the Sudanese army’s airstrike on Um Badir city, North Kordofan, on February 25, 2025, which resulted in the deaths of more than 50 civilians and left more than 82 others injured. The deliberate targeting of civilian areas constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, which prohibit attacks on civilians and civilian objects.
Eyewitness accounts confirm that the airstrike targeted gold mining areas near Um Badir, causing significant civilian casualties and destruction. Such indiscriminate attacks not only violate Sudan’s obligations under customary international law but also amount to war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The use of military force against unarmed civilians is a direct affront to the principles of human rights and must not go unpunished.
SAR demands an immediate and independent investigation into this atrocity and calls for those responsible to be held accountable before domestic and international legal mechanisms. We urge:
- The Sudanese authorities to immediately cease all attacks on civilians and comply with their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.
- The African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) take urgent measures to investigate these violations and ensure justice for the victims.
- The International Criminal Court (ICC) to consider this attack as part of its ongoing scrutiny of grave human rights abuses in Sudan.
- The international community to impose targeted measures against individuals and entities responsible for crimes against civilians in Sudan.
The continued attacks on civilians in Sudan underscore the urgent need for enhanced protection mechanisms and accountability measures. SAR stands in solidarity with the victims of this heinous attack and remains committed to advocating for justice, peace, and the protection of human rights in Sudan.
Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR)
February 26, 2025