117 graves discovered in the capital outside known cemeteries

Among the dozens of graves scattered throughout the neighborhoods of Bahri, north of the capital, Khartoum, Howayda Mohamed wandered around looking for a trace that would lead her to her father’s grave.

Howayda’s father refused to leave the city, which witnessed absolute control by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from the outbreak of the war until last March.

Howayda confirmed to Sudan Tribune that her father died after his health deteriorated at the end of 2023.
After an exhaustive search in several neighborhoods, she found no sign of his grave, so she returned to Saudi Arabia.

The war that has ravaged the capital, Khartoum, for more than two years has left massive vandalization to the infrastructure, and the homes of hundreds of residents have been devastated, some of them reduced to piles of rubble and ruins.

Last Thursday, the local security committee in Bahri ordered a comprehensive inventory of remains in all neighborhoods. There are hundreds of graves in Bahri outside known cemeteries, in addition to dozens of people buried inside their homes.

Hazim Ali, a Bahri resident, confirms the presence of hundreds of graves in the city. Previous investigations indicate that approximately 117 new graves have been discovered outside of known cemeteries in Khartoum.

The remains pose another challenge for authorities, as they must undergo DNA testing to identify their owners, particularly since many of the bodies have been reduced to skeletons, according to several activists.