Statement on the Killing and Injury of Civilians in Umm Bader, North Kordofan.

The Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR) strongly condemns the reported attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on a civilian market in Umm Bader, North Kordofan State, on 21 September 2026, which reportedly killed five civilians and injured 27 others.

According to information received by SAR, the attack targeted the Umm Bader gold market, resulting in the deaths and injuries of civilians who were present in the market. The incident comes amid a sharp escalation of hostilities in western North Kordofan, where civilians are increasingly exposed to violence, military operations, displacement and the destruction of livelihoods.

The 21 September attack comes against the backdrop of a rapidly deteriorating security and humanitarian situation across western North Kordofan. The area has increasingly become a major theatre of Sudan’s war as the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied forces advance westwards, while RSF forces seek to maintain positions and supply routes towards Darfur.

In recent weeks, military operations have intensified around Sodari, Umm Bader, Al-Mazrub and Hamrat al-Sheikh, with shifting frontlines bringing the conflict increasingly close to civilian communities.

The escalation has already had a devastating impact on civilians. Thousands of people have reportedly been displaced from Hamrat al-Sheikh as fighting and military deployments intensified in and around the town. Families have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety, while communities face growing uncertainty over access to food, water, healthcare and other essential services.

The latest violence follows months of attacks and military operations across North Kordofan. Civilians have been exposed to air and drone strikes, armed incursions, looting and the destruction of civilian property and livelihoods.

The current escalation is not without precedent. SAR has previously raised concerns over attacks affecting civilians in Umm Bader and other parts of North Kordofan. In February 2025, SAR documented an airstrike on the Umm Bader gold-mining area that reportedly killed 29 civilians and injured 82 others, highlighting the risks faced by civilians living and working in areas affected by military operations.

SAR has continued to document and condemn attacks affecting civilian communities across the state. In June 2026, SAR condemned an RSF drone attack on a civilian area in El Obeid, North Kordofan, which reportedly killed more than eight civilians and injured others, including women and children. SAR called for independent investigations and accountability for violations against civilians.

In July 2026, SAR also condemned a Sudanese Armed Forces drone attack on Sharshar Village in North Kordofan, calling for an independent investigation into the attack and verification of the reported civilian casualties.

These incidents demonstrate that the violence currently unfolding in Umm Bader and surrounding communities is not an isolated development. Rather, it forms part of a continuing pattern in which civilians across North Kordofan have been exposed to attacks, military operations, displacement and the destruction of their livelihoods.

SAR reminds all parties to the conflict that international humanitarian law requires the protection of civilians and civilian objects. Parties to an armed conflict must distinguish at all times between civilians and combatants and between civilian objects and military objectives. They must also take all feasible precautions to minimise harm to civilians.

The reported attack on the Umm Bader market is particularly concerning because markets are civilian spaces where people work, trade and obtain essential goods. Civilians must not be subjected to attacks or placed at unnecessary risk because of the proximity of military operations.

The displacement of thousands of people from Hamrat al-Sheikh further demonstrates the urgent need for all parties to protect civilians and ensure that people fleeing violence can reach safety. Humanitarian organisations must also be granted safe and unhindered access to affected and displaced communities.

SAR calls on the RSF to immediately cease attacks against civilians and civilian objects and to withdraw military forces, weapons and combat vehicles from populated areas. SAR further urges the SAF, RSF and all other parties to the conflict to comply fully with their obligations under international humanitarian law and take all necessary measures to prevent further harm to civilian populations.

SAR urges the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other relevant accountability mechanisms to urgently document and investigate reported violations in North Kordofan, including the 21 September attack in Umm Bader, and to ensure that evidence of serious violations is preserved for future accountability processes.

SAR also calls on the African Union, IGAD, the United Nations Security Council and the wider international community to strengthen efforts to protect civilians and respond to the escalating humanitarian and human rights crisis in North Kordofan. Continued violence cannot be met with silence while civilian communities are killed, injured and forced from their homes.

The killing and injury of civilians in Umm Bader, following months of violence and displacement across North Kordofan, is a stark reminder that civilians continue to bear the greatest cost of Sudan’s war. Communities in Umm Bader, Hamrat al-Sheikh, Al-Mazrub, Sodari and surrounding areas must not be left at the mercy of shifting frontlines.

SAR reiterates that civilian lives and civilian spaces must be protected, regardless of which party controls the territory. Every alleged violation must be documented, investigated and, where evidence establishes responsibility, those responsible must be held accountable. Accountability cannot be postponed until the guns fall silent.

Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR)
22 September 2026