The Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR) raises alarm over the reported killing of three siblings after a grenade exploded inside their family home in the Al Mourada neighbourhood of Al Qadarif city on the evening of 27 October 2026.
According to local media reports, the three siblings were killed when a grenade exploded inside the house. Their names have not yet been publicly released. Preliminary accounts indicate that the incident followed a family dispute and that the person alleged to have thrown the grenade was affiliated with one of the forces supporting the Sudanese Armed Forces. However, authorities have not publicly confirmed the identity of the alleged perpetrator, the circumstances leading to the explosion or the motive behind the incident.
The reported use of a grenade inside a residential home is particularly alarming. Whatever the circumstances of the dispute, civilians inside the home were entitled to protection from violence. The presence and use of explosive weapons in a civilian residence creates an immediate and serious risk to household members and the wider community.
The reported killings engage fundamental protections under international and regional human rights law. Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protects the inherent right to life and prohibits arbitrary deprivation of life. Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights similarly provides that every human being is entitled to respect for their life and that no one may be arbitrarily deprived of it. These protections remain applicable in situations of armed conflict, and authorities have a duty to investigate potentially unlawful killings and ensure effective remedies for victims and their families.
If the preliminary account concerning the alleged perpetrator’s affiliation is confirmed, the incident also raises serious questions about the possession and use of weapons by armed and affiliated forces and the measures taken to prevent weapons from being used against civilians. The alleged affiliation of any perpetrator must not shield them, or anyone who may bear responsibility, from investigation and accountability.
The incident may also engage Sudanese criminal law, including provisions governing unlawful killing and criminal responsibility. The specific offences and forms of responsibility applicable must, however, be determined on the basis of the facts established through a proper investigation.
SAR calls on the competent authorities in Al Qadarif to conduct a prompt, independent, impartial and transparent investigation into the deaths of the three siblings. The investigation should establish how the grenade came into the home, identify the person responsible, determine whether the alleged perpetrator was affiliated with an armed or supporting force, and examine whether any commanders, superiors or other individuals bear responsibility for the possession, provision or unlawful use of the weapon.
SAR further urges authorities and armed groups to take effective measures to prevent weapons and explosive devices from being used against civilians and in residential areas. Civilians must not be left exposed to lethal violence because armed actors have access to weapons.
The family of the three victims has a right to truth, justice and an effective remedy. Any person found responsible for the unlawful killing must be held accountable through a fair and transparent legal process, regardless of their affiliation or position.
The Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR,
28 October 2026