Case studies on the indiscriminate use of heavy weapons on civilians

SHRH and Ayin have continuously documented since the start of the conflict the destruction of civilian infrastructures such as hospitals, schools, IDPs camps and even oil factories.

A video posted on Facebook on June 21, shows the destruction of the Aljaili Petroleum Refinery.

A Google Earth satellite image captures the Aljaili Petroleum Refinery in its pre-damaged state.

Under international humanitarian law (IHL), attacks should only be directed against military objectives but also should follow the duty of precaution and the duty of proportionality in attacks. Even when directed against military objectives, an attack may be unlawful if it has an indiscriminate or disproportionate effect on civilians and civilian objects.

The following case studies provide further detail on how warring parties have used heavy weaponry against civilian areas in what appears to be breaches of international humanitarian law (IHL). These case studies have been selected because they highlight a clear pattern of indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas by both sides.

Case study 1 : Attack on Al-Souk al-Markazi, Khartoum, 24 November 2023

On 24 November 2023, several videos were circulating via social media depicting a terrible scene of destruction, with bodies of people scattered along a street in the capital, Khartoum. The Sudan Human Rights Hub was able to identify the location by citing landmarks and comparing footage from social media posts and satellite imagery to be the central Al-Souk al-Markazi (the “Central Market”) in Khartoum. A statement by the RSF and eyewitness testimonies further confirmed the date and the perpetrators involved in this attack.

A video shared on X from Central Market in Khartoum

“We were standing in a line for bread at Rama Bakery,” said one eyewitness to the attack. “This attack—we did not hear it coming—nothing, just a loud explosion, but we knew it came from above.” The eyewitness said the injured and deceased could be seen scattered across the market, including many women and children who sold vegetables and fruits in the market. Abdelrahim* confirmed the eyewitness statement as he was sitting at a nearby bus terminal having tea with friends. “We saw airstrikes on the Central Market and saw smoke rising from the area. My friends and I went to see what had happened and were horrified by the scene—there were women and children torn apart and many injured as a result of the bombing.”

According to records from Bashayer Hospital, over 30 people were killed and 100 injured from the bombing. Photos of the deceased were displayed outside the nearby hospital to help families identify their loved ones. According to several witnesses who saw the photos, the majority of the dead and injured were women and children. The hospital had contended with an influx of patients two months earlier after an airstrike took place on another market, Qouro Market, in southern Khartoum.

According to two sources near Central Market when the attack took place, the RSF were present in Central Market prior to the attack, fuel, weapons, and ammunition. “However, the number of civilians working in the market far outnumbered the RSF soldiers,” says Ahmed, who remembers the attack vividly since his doors, windows, and roof shook due to the loud explosion. “Citizens were the majority and were forced to be there despite the dangers to secure their livelihoods.” According to Ahmed, the market was, prior to the attack, one of the largest commercial hubs still operating in Khartoum and supplied goods from nearby villages in Al-Jazeera State.

The majority of residents in the area believe the Sudan Armed Forces were the perpetrators of the attack, blindly targeting the RSF presence in the market with little regard for the civilians present in the same area. Salah is a volunteer at the South Belt Emergency Room, a network of youth-driven volunteers who support the conflict affected and treat some of those wounded in the attack. “In my opinion, the attack was carried out by aircraft, but I don’t have specific information about the type of explosions used. I believe that the army was aware of the large number of civilians present, which exceeded the number of militia members. The army leaders seem to disregard the presence of civilians, treating them as mere collateral damage or insignificant.”

The Rapid Support Forces quickly condemned the attack, accusing the army of “grievous offenses against innocent civilians." One RSF soldier even posted a clip speaking in English, clearly vying for political support. “I want the world to know, they [the army] kill our generation. If they want to target us, they know where we [RSF] stay; they know our general command; they know we are in Jebel Aulia; we are in Omdurman; they have to come to us. But they kill here in the market.”

While most sources believe the bombing was an aerial attack conducted by the army, Ahmed is not so sure. Both sides use indiscriminate attacks for military and political gains. “Yes, all the markets in Khartoum have the presence of both RSF and civilians,” Ahmed said. “However, I can’t definitively tell you whether it was the RSF or the army that bombed the area. It could be the army targeting the RSF in the market, where civilians are also present, or it could be the RSF bombing the market to blame the army.”

SUDAN: Patterns of Indiscriminate Attacks on Civilians by SAF and RSF, October 2024

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