A landslide has claimed the lives of at least 1,000 people in the remote Marra Mountains in western Sudan, as reported by the armed group Sudan Liberation Movement/Army.
Heavy rainfall persisted for days before the landslide struck on Sunday, obliterating much of the village of Tarasin and leaving just one survivor. The movement has made an urgent appeal for humanitarian assistance from the United Nations and other regional and international organizations.
Many displaced residents from North Darfur state had sought safety in the Marra Mountains after conflict erupted in 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Minni Minnawi, the army-aligned governor of Darfur, referred to the landslide as a humanitarian tragedy, urging for immediate international support to assist the victims and their families.
Reporting has revealed dramatic images of the landscape affected, showing how two gullies converged where Tarasin once stood.
The civil war that began in April 2023 has intensified the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, leading to widespread famine and death toll estimates of up to 150,000, with millions displaced.
Mistrust towards RSF and their motives has led many to believe they are attempting to dominate and control the ethnically diverse region of Darfur, further complicating the already fragile situation.
Additional reporting by Anne Soy.
