At least 1,000 killed in Sudan landslide

Khartoum (Web Desk): A catastrophic landslide has claimed the lives of over 1,000 people in the mountainous Jebel Marra region of Darfur, Sudan, according to a statement released early Tuesday by the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) led by Abdelwahid Mohamed Nour.

The incident occurred on August 31 in the village of Tarseen, which was completely destroyed following days of relentless rainfall.

The SLM/A, which maintains long-standing control over parts of Jebel Marra and has established a degree of local governance there, reported that only one individual is believed to have survived the disaster. The group has called on the United Nations and global humanitarian organizations to assist in locating and retrieving the bodies of the victims, which include large numbers of children, women, and men.

Once known for its citrus orchards, Tarseen has now been reduced to rubble, the statement added. The remote village’s destruction comes amid ongoing turmoil in Sudan, where a brutal civil conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to rage. Although SLM/A has not taken sides in the conflict, its territory has become a refuge for those fleeing the violence, particularly from the city of al-Fashir.

Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur, is currently encircled by RSF forces and facing severe food shortages and widespread starvation. Many residents have escaped to the Jebel Marra region, seeking safety from both the fighting and the humanitarian crisis.

However, these displaced communities now face additional challenges, including a lack of shelter, food, and healthcare, made worse by ongoing rainfall. The town of Tawila, a key destination for the displaced, is also battling a cholera outbreak.

Sudan’s civil war, now entering its third year, has forced millions from their homes and plunged more than half the population into acute food insecurity. The country’s annual rainy season has only worsened the suffering, with flooding and landslides becoming more frequent and deadly.

In response to the landslide, the army-led government expressed its condolences and indicated readiness to assist. The RSF-controlled administration, which governs the areas surrounding Jebel Marra, has not issued any public comment regarding the tragedy.