'There is no life left': How volunteers buried 600 bodies in Sudan's North Kordofan

In Bara, North Kordofan, Sudan, a volunteer team buried over 600 bodies following a series of deadly massacres, according to Middle East Eye. The relentless fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in July led to the death of both civilians and fighters, with most victims being civilians. The bodies were left scattered across the city, neighboring villages, and roads connecting Bara to the strategic city of el-Obeid.

To address the crisis, 50 volunteers, equipped with protective suits and masks, worked tirelessly to collect, transport, and bury the corpses in makeshift mass graves. Despite their efforts, hundreds more bodies remained unaccounted for in Bara and the surrounding countryside. The volunteers, supported by local groups and diaspora members, sought financial assistance to continue their efforts, which included securing cases, bags, fuel, gloves, and sanitization materials.

The situation in Bara has turned into a depopulated wasteland, contaminated by disease due to the rotting corpses. With hundreds more bodies still remaining unburied, the volunteers continue their arduous task, hoping to prevent further spread of disease and provide closure to the victims' families. The Sudanese Information Ministry has accused the RSF, backed by the United Arab Emirates, of committing genocide and carrying out massacres in Bara and surrounding villages.