The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have burned three villages in Blue Nile state since April, according to the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS).
ACJPS reported that on 8 April 2015, the village of Mediam Al Jabal was burnt to the ground displacing approximately 3,700 civilians, while a 10 May attack on Khor Mungra and an 11 May attack on Bau displaced 6,018 residents together.
The Khor Mungra and Bau people stayed for two days without access to food supplies, before settling in temporary structures along the main road to Damazin.
Further, on 13 May, the SAF ordered residents of four nearby villages – Khor Mganza, Daim Masaleet, Alshaheed Afandi, and Raieh Balak – to relocate, saying anyone who remained would be presumed to be a member of the rebel SPLA-North group.
The ACJPS accused the SAF of razing the villages, which were primarily comprised of members of the Ingessana and Maasalit ethnic groups, in an apparent attempt to to forcibly displace communities perceived to support the SPLA-N.
Humanitarian access to the area has been severely limited by Sudanese authorities, with only the Sudanese Red Crescent allowed to access displaced communities, according to the ACJPS.
The alleged attacks and forced displacements took place following the reinvigoration of the “Decisive Summer” campaign which began in December 2014.