SAF soldiers pictured in Wad Madani. January 11, 2025. (Photo: Sudan News/X).

Gruesome videos posted on social media of South Sudanese killed in Sudan’s Madani town of Al Jazira State has raised concern about the safety of thousands of refugees stranded in the war-torn neighboring country, as civil society activist Edmund Yakani strongly condemns what he termed severe human rights violations.

The violation were allegedly committed by the Sudanese Army Forces (SAF) against South Sudanese refugees following their recapture of Wad Madani.

The Sudanese authorities neither confirm nor deny those killed were South Sudanese but said there were incidents involving individuals and have been arrested.

Yakani’s call follows an outcry on social media by South Sudanese intellectuals concerning the graphic online videos, some of which showed SAF troops arbitrarily arresting, parading and shooting civilians believed to be South Sudanese.

The footages have sparked social media outcry among South Sudanese intellectuals in the diaspora who condemned the act.

They called on the international community and humanitarian organizations to urgently intervene to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to South Sudanese refugees in Sudan.

Arthur Gabriel, a prominent South Sudanese writer based in the U.S. said: “What the Sudanese army did to the South Sudanese civilians in Madani is not new. The so-called SAF has been doing this since 1956 in South Sudan until we left. This army that we never felt represented us or belonged to.”

Meanwhile, South Sudanese Senior Journalist Atem Simon said; “I find people surprised by the actions of the Sudanese army, which they call violations. If there is another name for this army, it is the same violations.”

Reacting to the incidents, Edmund Yakani said the conflicting parties in Sudan not to use politically discontented positions by targeting the rights of South Sudanese refugees across several towns of Sudan.

“I  strongly condemn the violation of South Sudanese refugees, and human rights by Sudan Armed Forces during the exercise of recapturing, the town of Madani from the Rapid Support Force or RSF.

Yakani also called upon the Sudanese military leadership to take responsibility to ensure that as they confront themselves with their parties in conflict or the Rapid Support Forces.

“We would like to appeal to the conflicting parties in Sudan to please don’t use your politically discontented position by targeting South Sudanese refugees across several towns of Sudan.

Mr. Yakani expressed deep concern and said targeting South Sudanese refugees is a violation of international law, and these crimes must be accounted for.

“I’m calling upon the leadership of Sudan to take responsibility to ensure that as they  (the Rapid Support Forces and SAF confront themselves, they should not target South Sudanese refugees.

“It is a violation of international law, it is a violation of humanitarian law and this a crime that will never go and accounted for”, he said.

When contacted for comment, the Sudanese Ambassador to South Sudan said he the social media footages have not been brought to his attention yet.

However, he said there were individual’ incidents in Kanabi of Madani and the de facto regime issuing a statement indicating the perpetrators have been arrested.

Ambassador Isam Mohamed Hassan revealed that those who committed these crimes were arrested and imprisoned by the Sudan government.

He added that there was no any directive to the forces to commit these crimes against South Sudanese.

“I did not see anything on social media concerning our South Sudanese brothers in Madani, but there were incidents that occurred by some individuals in Kanabi, and a statement was issued by the government and those who committed these crimes were arrested and put on trial, but there is nothing official in directing them to do these crimes for any reason to South Sudanese brothers in Madani.”

However, in an official statement, the Sudanese government spokesman, Khalid Al-Aiser said, and I quote:

“We reject any crime committed against a Sudanese man or woman anywhere in Sudan,” calling on all fighters to follow the values ​​of justice and law in dealing with prisoners suspected of collaborating with the rebellion throughout the past period.”