A catastrophic landslide has killed over 1,000 people in the village of Tarasin, located in the Marra Mountains of western Sudan, according to a statement released by the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) on Monday. The disaster struck on August 31, following several days of heavy rainfall in the war-ravaged Darfur region.
The Sudan Liberation Movement, led by Abdelwahid Mohamed Nour, confirmed that only one person survived the massive landslide, which completely wiped out the village. “Initial information indicates the death of all village residents, estimated to be more than one thousand individuals,” the group stated.
Entire Village Obliterated
The rebel group described the event as “massive and devastating,” noting that the village—once part of a region known for citrus farming—has now been “completely levelled to the ground.” The SLM/A, which controls parts of the Marra Mountains, has appealed to the United Nations and international humanitarian agencies for immediate assistance in recovering bodies of men, women, and children buried under the rubble.
Adding to the tragedy, the village had become a refuge for civilians fleeing the ongoing war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). As conflict continues to rage in North Darfur, especially around the besieged city of Al Fashir, displaced families had sought shelter in the Marra Mountains in hopes of safety and stability.
Crisis Within a Crisis
The landslide is the latest blow to a population already overwhelmed by two years of brutal civil war. Over half of Sudan’s population now faces hunger, and millions have been displaced amid widespread violence and deteriorating humanitarian conditions.
With limited access to food, clean water, and medicine in the mountains, the need for international intervention is urgent. Humanitarian agencies are being urged to respond swiftly to the dual emergencies of natural disaster and armed conflict that continue to devastate the Darfur region.
