'Both sides' in Sudan war executing, torturing, and mutilating bodies: HRW

Human Rights Watch on Thursday accused both sides in Sudan's more than 16-month conflict of committing war crimes including summary executions, torture and the mutilation of dead bodies.

Since April 2023, Sudan's army, led by de facto ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been locked in a devastating war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.

The New York-based rights group said its analysis of social media images indicated mass executions of at least 40 people, alongside the torture and ill-treatment of 18 detainees.

It said nine of the 20 videos analysed showed the mutilation of at least eight dead bodies, mostly by people in military uniforms, though some were in plainclothes.

"In all the incidents, detainees appear to be unarmed, posing no threat to their captors, and in several they are restrained," Human Rights Watch said.

"Forces from Sudan's warring parties feel so immune to punishment that they have repeatedly filmed themselves executing, torturing, and dehumanising detainees, and mutilating bodies," said Mohamed Osman, HRW's Sudan researcher.

"These crimes should be investigated as war crimes and those responsible, including commanders of these forces, should be held to account," he added.

The rights group called on the warring parties to "privately and publicly order an immediate halt to these abuses and carry out effective investigations".

It added that the abuses "constitute war crimes" and should be subject to international investigations, including from the United Nations fact-finding mission for Sudan.

The HRW report coincides with the arrival of UN deputy secretary general Amina Mohammed to the coastal city of Port Sudan as part of continued efforts to resolve the crisis in the impoverished country.

Since the war erupted last year, it has killed tens of thousands of people, with some estimates of up to 150,000, according to US Sudan envoy Tom Perriello.

More than 10 million people have been displaced by the fighting, which has pushed parts of the country into famine.