Attachments
I. Context
1. On 15 April 2023, fighting broke out between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum, Merowe Town (270 km north of Khartoum), and in El Fasher and Kebkabiya in North Darfur, as well as Nyala in South Darfur. Fighting escalated between the two parties in the following weeks and extended to other regions, including West Darfur.
2. In the Darfur region, the most intense fighting took place in the West Darfur State. In El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, fighting broke out on 23 April 2023 between the SAF and the RSF that immediately took on inter-communal dimensions, particularly between Arab tribes, primarily the Rizigat, and the African Masalit community. On 14 June, the Governor of West Darfur, Khamis Abdallah Abbakar, was seen in video footage in RSF custody and, several hours later, a video of his lifeless body, showing signs of injury, was circulated widely on online social media platforms.1 On that day, El Geneina fell under the full control of the RSF and allied Arab militia.
3. During the armed hostilities and attacks in El Geneina between 23 April and 14 June 2023, calm was maintained in Ardamata, an area around 5 km northeast of El Geneina where the SAF base was located, and residents there carried on their daily activities. On 14 June 2023, in the morning, large numbers of people from neighbourhoods in El Geneina that had been subjected to repeated attacks by the RSF and allied Arab militia2 headed on foot and in vehicles towards Ardamata, seeking safety. They came under attack before reaching Ardamata, resulting in the killing and injury of many people; the scattering of the fleeing crowds resulted in the separation of family members. Many others succeeded in reaching Ardamata on that and following days, the majority of whom were fleeing civilians, as well as some fighters of the Sudanese Alliance. 3
4. Meanwhile, the situation elsewhere in Darfur was escalating, and on 26 October 2023, the day the Jeddah talks resumed between the parties to the armed conflict after a four-month suspension, the RSF announced the fall of the SAF 16th Infantry Division headquarters in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur and Sudan’s second largest city. A few days later, on 31 October 2023, the SAF 21st Infantry Division headquarters in Zalingei, the capital of Central Darfur, fell to the RSF.
5. According to the information gathered, in Ardamata, skirmishes began on 1 November 2023. On 2 November, the SAF base was directly and intensively hit starting from around 7:30 am until sunset, during which at least 17 soldiers positioned on the eastern part of the base were killed. However, SAF was able to repel RSF and allied Arab militia who could be seen in vehicles and motorbikes. On 3 November, the RSF attacks on the SAF base began at 6am, and SAF soldiers moved to the streets and were able to repel the attacks. Around 20 SAF soldiers on the eastern side of the base were killed, and three of five SAF officers in charge of the base’s eastern side were injured and taken to the military hospital. The fighting was reportedly so fierce that soldiers could not go to get water that was located around 50 metres away from where they were positioned on the eastern side of the SAF base. On 4 November at around 6:30 am, the two remaining officers in charge of the eastern side of the SAF base were not present and it appeared that many of the officers and soldiers had already left the base without giving instructions to remaining soldiers to leave their positions. The remaining soldiers, who were around 15 in number, started hearing Arab women ululating and it became clear that it was the celebration of the fall of the SAF base into the hands of the RSF, as vehicles and motorbikes belonging to the RSF and allied Arab militia were entering the SAF base. Following the fall of the SAF base, RSF and allied Arab militia allegedly committed large-scale summary executions of members of the African Masalit community in Ardamata on 4 and 5 November 2023.
6. The attacks on Ardamata and the alleged summary executions that took place on 4 and 5 November 2023 appeared to be a continuation of trends documented during the attacks carried out by the RSF and allied Arab militia in El Geneina from late April to 14 June, the day that marked the full control by the RSF and allied Arab militia of El Geneina, and the abuses they committed prior to and following their full control of the city. During a previous mission to Chad from 17 June to 1 July 2023, OHCHR found that large-scale summary executions or attempted summary executions at the hands of the RSF and allied Arab militia took place in El Geneina, in private homes, streets, internally displaced persons (IDP) gathering sites and while people were fleeing to Ardamata, which was then under the control of the SAF, and while crossing to neighbouring Chad.