As many as 1,000 killed in Sudan landslide

LAGOS, Nigeria — A massive landslide in western Sudan has destroyed the village of Tarseen in Darfur and killed as many as 1,000 people, according to local groups. Many of the victims were displaced and starving, having fled more than two years of intense fighting in Sudan’s civil war.

The landslide struck Sunday in the mountainous Jebel Marra region, an area controlled by the Sudan Liberation Movement-Army (SLM-A). The armed group said heavy rains completely leveled the village, leaving only one survivor.

The Jebel Marra region has seen a surge in population in recent months, as thousands fled a prolonged siege on Darfur’s historic capital, El Fasher, by paramilitary forces at war with Sudan’s army. Many displaced people have also come from the Zamzam refugee camp, where famine was declared last year.

The SLM-A has remained neutral during the conflict, offering a rare safe haven for refugees. Most of the wider Darfur region, however, is controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied Arab militias, who have been accused by the U.N., the U.S., and others of committing genocide against African ethnic groups.

In April, Zamzam, Sudan’s largest refugee camp, home to more than half a million people, was overrun by the RSF, leaving hundreds dead, including aid workers from Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and Relief International. Many displaced residents fled to remote areas like Jebel Marra, where NGOs have limited access and aid delivery is extremely difficult, especially during the rainy season.

Aid workers have warned that children are dying daily from hunger in the region, with both Sudan’s army and the RSF accused of obstructing humanitarian assistance. U.N. agencies and other aid groups have also faced attacks and pressure from both sides of the war.

Sudan’s army controls most of the country, including the capital, Khartoum. The RSF dominates much of Darfur, except for El Fasher, and on Saturday its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, was sworn in as head of a parallel government, which the U.S. and other nations have rejected.

The ongoing conflict has triggered the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and the worst famine in decades. While accurate casualty figures are impossible to confirm, the U.S. estimated last September that as many as 150,000 people may have been killed since the fighting began over two years ago.