Sudan: Landslide kills 1,000 in Darfur’s Marrah mountains

A devastating landslide has wiped out an entire village in Sudan’s western Darfur region, killing an estimated 1,000 people, according to the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A), the rebel group that controls the area. The disaster struck on Sunday after days of heavy rainfall triggered a massive collapse in the Marrah Mountains, engulfing the village of Tarasin. In a statement issued late Monday, the SLM/A said the community had been “completely levelled to the ground,” with only one survivor found among the ruins. “Initial information indicates the death of all village residents, estim

A devastating landslide has wiped out an entire village in Sudan’s western Darfur region, killing an estimated 1,000 people, according to the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A), the rebel group that controls the area. The disaster struck on Sunday after days of heavy rainfall triggered a massive collapse in the Marrah Mountains, engulfing the village of Tarasin. In a statement issued late Monday, the SLM/A said the community had been “completely levelled to the ground,” with only one survivor found among the ruins. “Initial information indicates the death of all village residents, estimated to be more than one thousand individuals, with only one survivor,” the group’s statement read. The SLM/A appealed urgently to the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations to assist in recovering the bodies of the victims, including many children. With access to the mountainous region already difficult due to ongoing conflict, aid operations are expected to face severe challenges. Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council in Khartoum expressed its sorrow, mourning “the death of hundreds of innocent residents” and pledging that “all possible capabilities” have been mobilized to support the disaster zone. The Sudanese army-controlled government extended condolences and said it was ready to provide assistance. However, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which control surrounding areas of Jebel Marra and remain locked in conflict with the army, did not immediately issue a statement. The landslide adds a new layer of suffering to a region already devastated by civil war, mass displacement, and hunger. Darfur has been one of the hardest-hit areas in Sudan’s ongoing conflict, with thousands killed and millions forced from their homes since fighting between the army and RSF erupted in 2023.