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Once the thriving capital of West Darfur, al Geneina is now nearly deserted. Approximately 70% of the city’s half-a-million residents have fled since the start of the war in Sudan. Humanitarian volunteers have reported that bodies left on the streets have been buried at various mass grave sites after a significant clean-up operation.

C4ADS, a Washington DC-based global security non-profit, shared coordinates of potential mass grave sites on the outskirts of al Geneina. These locations have been verified by Sky News through eyewitness accounts. A satellite image from May shows regular terrain just north of the main artery connecting al Geneina to eastern Chad. However, in a satellite image from July, the same areas are now filled with water due to seasonal rainfall.

An eyewitness located one of the grave sites for Sky News using landmarks on a map. He witnessed decomposing bodies being dumped into a body of water at the end of June. The witness described the scene with urgency, mentioning that after the police station and over the mountain, around 250 meters from a cattle slaughterhouse, a group of scared residents were seen throwing nine bodies into a large pond.

The situation in al Geneina is a stark reminder of the violence and displacement caused by the war in Sudan. The city has seen a significant decline in population as people flee for their safety. The mass graves serve as a grim testament to the lives lost during this period of conflict. Efforts from humanitarian organizations are underway to provide assistance and support to the remaining residents of al Geneina and those affected by the war in Sudan.

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