A landslide in Sudan’s western Darfur region has wiped out an entire mountain village, killing more than 1,000 people, a rebel group said late Monday.
The disaster struck on Sunday after days of heavy rainfall, devastating the village of Tarasin in the Marra Mountains, according to the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM), which controls the area.
“Initial information indicates the death of all village residents, estimated to be more than one thousand individuals, with only one survivor,” the group said in a statement. It added that the landslide “completely destroyed” part of the mountain region, which is known for citrus farming.
The SLM appealed to the United Nations and humanitarian agencies to assist with recovery efforts and help locate bodies buried under mud and debris.
Darfur’s governor Minni Minnawi, who is aligned with the Sudanese army, called it a “humanitarian tragedy that goes beyond the borders of the region”. He urged international organisations to provide urgent aid, saying the disaster was too big for locals to handle alone.
However, large parts of Darfur remain difficult to reach for aid groups because of the ongoing civil war.
Sudan has been gripped by conflict since April 2023, when fighting broke out between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
The war has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. The UN says about 10 million people are now internally displaced inside Sudan, while another 4 million have fled to nearby countries. The conflict has also destroyed infrastructure and created what the UN describes as the world’s largest displacement and hunger crises.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
