The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, on Thursday called for a swift investigation into the killing of 87 civilians in Sudan following the discovery of a mass grave in West Darfur.
The victims, who included members of the Masalit ethnic community, were allegedly killed last month by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militia, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said, citing credible information.
Local people were forced to dispose of the bodies in a mass grave outside the regional capital, El-Geneina , denying those killed a decent burial in one of the city's cemeteries.
Mr. Türk condemned the killings in the strongest terms and called for those responsible to be held to account.
The RSF and the Sudanese army have been locked in fierce fighting since mid-April. Thousands have been killed and injured, and nearly three million people are displaced both within and outside the country.
At least 37 of the bodies were buried on 20 June in the roughly one-metre-deep mass grave in an open area called Al-Turab Al Ahmar, or Red Soil in English.
Another 50 bodies were buried there the following day, including those of seven women and seven children.
Those buried were killed by the RSF and their allied militia during the period 13 to 21 June in the districts of Al-Madaress and Al-Jamarek, located in El-Geneina, according to credible information gathered by OHCHR.
Many were victims of the violence that followed the killing of the Governor of West Darfur, Khamis Abbaker, on 14 June, shortly after he was taken into custody by the RSF. Others had died from untreated injuries.
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