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Civilians Caught in the CrossfreThe Bombing of Abu Kershola and Burning of Ad Dandour
Satellite Sentinel Project
satsentinel.org
Monitoring the C risis in the Sudans
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Civilians Caught
in the CrossfreThe Bombing of Abu Kershola
and Burning of Ad Dandour
COVER: Visibly burned tukuls and smoke
in Ad Dandour during a lull in ighting.(Credit: Nuba Reports)
Satellite Sentinel Project
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1 Satellite Sentinel Projec t www.satsentinel.org | Civilians Caught in the Crossfre
Civilians in Souh Kordoan, Sudan, coninue o bear he brun o he recen escala-
ion in hosiliies beween he rebel Sudan Revoluionary Fron, or SRF, in his case
comprised o orces rom he Sudan Peoples Liberaion Movemen-Norh, or SPLM-Nand he Darurian Jusice and Equaliy Movemen, or JEM, and he governmen Sudan
Armed Forces, or SAF. wo paradigmaic examples are he warring paries sruggle over
sraegic garrison owns ha led o he burning o Ad Dandour and he repeaed indis-
criminae bombing o civilian areas in Abu Kershola. Exclusive DigialGlobe saellie
imagery secured by he Saellie Seninel Projec, or SSP, conrms he recen ghings
desrucive impac on boh owns and corroboraes repors rom ciizen journaliss who
raveled o he area during a lull in hosiliies.
The bombardment of Abu Kershola
In recen weeks boh he SAF and SRF have been rading escalaing rheoric abou Abu
Kershola, a sraegic garrison own in Souh Kordoan.1 Home o approximaely 45,000
people in he norheasern porion o Souh Kordoan in Sudan, Abu Kershola (see
Figure 1) has become a symbol o he war raging on Sudans periphery.
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2 Satellite Sentinel Projec t www.satsentinel.org | Civilians Caught in the Crossfre
Bou nd a ries a nd na m es used on th is m a p for illust ra t ion p urpo ses on ly
Te SRF ook conrol o he own in a dramaic coordinaed rebel oensive on April 27, 2013.2 Te srike,
which reached Umm Rawaba in Norh Kordoan, was one o he rebel coaliions rs join-orces operaions
as he Sudan Revoluionary Fron.3 Since hen he SAF has made ve atemps o regain conrol o he own,
beore ulimaely suceeding.4 As a resul o escalaing violence in he region, mos o he owns populaion
ed norh o al Rahad.5 According o he Inernaional Federaion o he Red Cross and Red Crescen and
he U.N. Oce or he Coordinaion o Humaniarian Aairs, or UN OCHA, more han 30,000 people are
shelering in schools under rees and in makeshif shelers around al Rahad.6
Abu Kershola
Abu Kershola
Figure 1: Dstcton at Ab Kshola
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3 Satellite Sentinel Projec t www.satsentinel.org | Civilians Caught in the Crossfre
Ab Kshola Aa Ovvw, Soth Kodofan Stat, Sda
Dtalglob Colo infad ima, May 15, 201
Burned Tukuls
Central Market Area
of Abu Kershola
Craters
Figure 2: Aa Ovvw
Te Enough Projecs Saellie Seninel Projec, or SSP, received DigialGlobe saellie imagery aken o he
village o Abu Kershola on o May 15, 2013, showing muliple craers in and around he village. (see Figures
2 and 3) Figure 3 highlighs 10 craers close o he main residenial and marke area o Abu Kershola, and
Figure 2 shows hose, in addiion o a leas anoher 10 craers on he norh and wes side o he own. In
DigialGlobe Analyics Ceners assessmen, o he 20 craers visible in Figure 3, our were caused by arillery,
while he oher 16 are consisen wih aerial bombardmen. A May 15, 2013, saemen rom SRF spokesper-
son Al Gadi Rumboy conrmed ha Sudanese aircraf dropped 12 bombs on he village.7
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Ab Kshola, Soth Kodofan Stat, Sda
Dtalglob Colo infad ima, May 15, 201
Figure 4
Figure 5
Craters
Central Market Areaof Abu Kershola
Figure 3: Ab Kshola Ovvw
Several residenial srucures were desroyed or severely damaged by he bombing. (see Figures 2 and 3)
DigialGlobes Analyics Cener did no nd any evidence o SAF or SRF orces remaining in he village in he
May 15 imagery. No obvious miliary arges were observed near he bomb craers in he village, suggesing
ha he bombs were dropped indiscriminaely in civilian areas. (see Figure 3)
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FigureS 4 & 5: Bomb Cats
Several residenial srucures were desroyed and ohers damaged by he 10 bombs ha landed in he cener o
he own. (see Figures 4 and 5)
Ab Kshola, Soth Kodofan Stat, Sda
Dtalglob Colo infad ima, May 15, 201
Craters
Craters
N
N
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6 Satellite Sentinel Projec t www.satsentinel.org | Civilians Caught in the Crossfre
Wst of Ab Kshola, Soth Kodofan Stat, Sda
Dtalglob Colo infad ima, May 15, 201
Possible Damaged
Vehicle
Craters
Possible Damaged
Vehicle
Example of
Tank Tracks
NFigure 6: Bomb Cats and Tank Tacks
DigialGlobe Analyics Cener idenied racks consisen wih anks or oher heavy equipmen in he area
immediaely wes o he village. (see Figure 6) Tese racks and he 10 craers visible in Figure 2 migh be
relaed o ghing in ha area, which may have served as a saging ground or a mulipronged oensive. Te
SRF spokesperson claimed, SRF orces also desroyed 37 miliary vehicles.8 Bu DigialGlobe analysis o
imagery covering a radius o a leas 9 kilomeers rom he village cener shows only wo possibly damaged
vehicles in he area. (see Figure 6)
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Figure 7: Bnd Tkls
A small cluser o residenial srucures, or ukuls, wes o he village are visibly burned, possibly as a resul o
he recen ghing. (see Figure 7) Tis imagery oers independen and exclusive documenaion o he oll
ha he ghing in he own has aken upon civilian srucures.
Burned Tukuls
Wst of Ab Kshola, Soth Kodofan Stat, Sda
Dtalglob Colo infad ima, May 15, 201
N
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Figure 8
el Obeid
The burning of Ad Dandour
A erce hree-day batle over Ad Dandour (see Figure 8) in Sudans Souh Kordoan sae likely led o he
complee desrucion o civilian srucures in he garrison own.9
According o Nuba Repors, he village changed hands wice during he hree-day period o April 1517,
2013.10 On April 15 SRF, rebels launched an oensive and seized conrol o he sraegically locaed village,
which has been under SAF conrol since 2011.11 Afer hours o inense indiscriminae aerial bombardmen, on
April 16 he SRF rereaed, allowing SAF o regain conrol o he own on April 17.12 DigialGlobes analysis
o saellie imagery aken o Ad Dandour on April 22, afer he ghing ended, conrms ha much o he own
has been desroyed by re.
ad Dandour
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Geoagged phoos aken on April 16 and obained by SSP rom Nuba Repors conrm he desrucion rom
he ground. (see Figure 9)
Nuba Repors visied he village on April 16 when he SRF was in conrol o he village and published a video
including an inerview wih an SRF commander. wo gunships came and we deal wih hem because we
have air deenses, saes SRF Brigadier General Namiri Amara on video.13 Wihin an hour and a hal an
Anonov plane came. I ew overhead, all day bombing. Ten wo MiG gher planes came and bombed he
area more han our imes.14
According o Nuba Repors correspondens, a leas 17 SAF soldiers were killed in he rs days ghing.
One SRF soldier was killed, and 17 SRF were wounded.15 On April 15, wo civilians were wounded during
he rs days ghing, bu no civilians were killed. Following a batle on April 16, which involved Anonovs,
MiGs, and helicopers, he SRF wihdrew under re on April 17. Te airplanes argeed civilian areas, hence
our acical wihdrawal. We waned o avoid casualies, saed SRF rebel spokesman Arnu Nguulu Lodi.16
DigialGlobe saellie imagery comparing he village in December 2012 wih imagery rom April 2013 shows
hese bombs and subsequen res dramaic impac on ukuls in he village. On May 26, according o Nuba
Repors, he SRF again atacked and was able o ener, bu no hold, he village.
Wst of Ab Kshola, Soth Kodofan Stat, Sda
Dtalglob Natal Colo ima, May 15, 201
Photo 2
Photo 1
N
Figure 9: golocatd Photos of th Vlla
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10 Satellite Sentinel Project www.satsentinel.org | Civilians Caught in the Crossfre
Due o he ghing a Ad Dandour, 350 civilians ed he village, seeking reuge in SRF-conrolled erriory.
According o hose inerviewed by Nuba Repors, SAF ground orces wihdrew almos immediaely when he
SRF launched heir oensive in April 16, sending heir amilies, women, and children ahead o hem, piled
ino pick-up rucks.17 Displaced civilians rom Ad Dandour who ed o he SRF side o he batle line repored
ha hey have no plans o reurn o he village.18
Only he mosque, cellular elephone ower, suppor buildings, and a ew oher meal-rooed buildings
survived he batle. Sudan Armed Forces, which has conrolled he own since June 2011, has consruced
deensive posiionsearhen berms and revemensaround a porion o he village. A leas one armored
personnel carrier, or APC, and ve probable echnicals occupied revemens are visible wihin in he berm.
(see Figure 11) Tis equipmen probably suppors elemens o a SAF inanry company.
48 km nothast of Kadl, Soth Kodofan Stat, Sd
Dtalglob Natal Colo ima, Apl 22, 20
48 km nothast of Kadl, Soth Kodofan Stat, Sdan
Dtalglob Natal Colo ima, Dcmb 22, 2012
Figure 10: Vlla of Ad Dando Bnd Tkls N
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In possibly relaed aciviy, wo Nanchang Q-5 ground atack aircraf were observed a el Obeid Air Base,
Norh Kordoan, in imagery acquired on April 16, 2013. (see Figure 11) A uel ruck was parked nearby and
was probably in he process o reueling he aircraf, which could reec an increased empo o operaions in
suppor o he SAF unis atacking Ad Dandour. Oher han one Y-8 ranspor aircraf, no oher high-peror-
mance aircraf or helicopers were observed a he air base. El Obeid Air Base has suppored SAF miliary in
Souh Kordoan in he pas as a base o operaions or An-24/26 ranspors, MiG-25 ghers, Nanchang Q-5
ground atack aircraf and atack helicopers.19
Figure 11: Fortied Village of Ad Dandour
48 km nothast of Kadl, Soth Kodofan Stat, Sda
Dtalglob Natal Colo ima, Apl 22, 201
Cellular telephone tower
Possible
APC
Mosque
EarthenBerms
Probable technical
N
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F 12: Actvty at l Obd A Bas
l Obd A Bas, Noth Kodofan, SdaDtalglob Natal Colo ima, Apl 16, 201
Fuel
truck
Nanchang Q-5
ground attack (x2)
Y-8
Transport
N
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13 Satellite Sentinel Project www.satsentinel.org | Civilians Caught in the Crossfre
N
Figure 10 Figure 10
Exclusive beore-and-afer saellie imagery rom December 22, 2012, and April 22, 2013, analyzed by he
DigialGlobe Analyics Cener shows nearly all o he ukuls in he village burned during he April ghing.
Tis imagery provides independen conrmaion o he devasaing oll ha he hosiliies beween he SRF
and SAF coninue o ake on Souh Kordoans civilian inrasrucure.
48 km nothast of Kadl, Soth Kodofan Stat, Sd
Dtalglob Natal Colo ima, Apl 22, 20
48 km nothast of Kadl, Soth Kodofan Stat, Sdan
Dtalglob Natal Colo ima, Dcmb 22, 2012
Figure 13: Vlla of Ad Dando Bnd Tkls
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1 Sudanese President Pledges to Soon Retake South Kordo-an Town, Sudan Tribune, May 13, 2013, available at http://allarica.com/stories/201305141107.html.
2 Sudan city stormed by Darur rebels, Al Jazeera, April27, 2013, available at http://www.aljazeera.com/news/arica/2013/04/2013427143845319920.html.
3 Ibid.
4 Sudan army increasing security around Abu-Kersholaperimeter, Sudan Tribune, May 30, 2013, available athttp://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article46757.
5 Abu Kershola IDPs Receive Relie Aid, Sudan Vision, May 15,2013, available at http://news.sudanvisiondaily.com/details.html?rsnpid=222604.
6 International Federation o the Red Cross and Red CrescentSocieties, Disaster relie emergency und (DREF) Sudan /North Kordoan and South Kordoan Population Movement(2013), available at http://www.irc.org/docs/Appeals/13/MDRSD017.pd; U.N. Oce or the Coordination o Hu-manitarian Aairs, Weekly Humanitarian Bulletin (2013),available at http://relieweb.int/sites/relieweb.int/fles/resources/OCHA_Sudan_Weekly_Humanitarian_Bulletin_Is-sue_17_(22-28_April_2013).pd.
7 SRF: Sudan air raid kills three in Abu Karshola, South
Kordoan, Radio Dabanga, May 14, 2013, available athttp://www.radiodabanga.org/node/48915.
8 Ibid.
9 Sudan SPLA-N claims control o Dandor garrison nearKadugli, Radio Dabanga, April 16, 2013, available athttp://www.radiodabanga.org/node/46743.
10 Nuba Reports, Surge in Fighting As Humanitarian Negotia-tions Begin (2013), available at http://www.nubareports.org//reports/surge-fghting-humanitarian-negotiations-begin.
11 Sudan S.Kordoa n rebels control army base, AgenceFrance-Presse, April 16, 2013, available at http://www.glo-balpost.com/dispatch/news/ap/130416/sudan-skordoan-rebels-control-army-base.
12 Sudan Army Regains Control o Kordoan Garrison, CapitalShelled, Hilversum Radio Dabanga, April 17, 2013, availableat http://allarica.com/stories/201304180127.html.
13 Nuba Reports, Frontlines: Dandur, April 25, 2013, availableat http://www.youtube.com/watch?eature=player_embedded&v=jDb7hZKXM9A#!.
14 Ibid.
15 Nuba Reports correspondent, interview with author, April25, 2013.
16 Ibid.
17 Ibid.
18 Ibid.
19 Tristan McConnell, Part 3: Sudans rebels uniting to toppleBashirs Islamic regime, Globalpost, May 7, 2012, availableat http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/a-rica/120507/sudan-s-rebels-uniting-topple-bashir-s-islamic-regime.
Endnotes
http://allafrica.com/stories/201305141107.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201305141107.htmlhttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/04/2013427143845319920.htmlhttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/04/2013427143845319920.htmlhttp://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article46757http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article46757http://news.sudanvisiondaily.com/details.html?rsnpid=222604http://news.sudanvisiondaily.com/details.html?rsnpid=222604http://www.ifrc.org/docs/Appeals/13/MDRSD017.pdfhttp://www.ifrc.org/docs/Appeals/13/MDRSD017.pdfhttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA_Sudan_Weekly_Humanitarian_Bulletin_Issue_17_(22-28_April_2013).pdfhttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA_Sudan_Weekly_Humanitarian_Bulletin_Issue_17_(22-28_April_2013).pdfhttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA_Sudan_Weekly_Humanitarian_Bulletin_Issue_17_(22-28_April_2013).pdfhttp://www.radiodabanga.org/node/48915http://www.radiodabanga.org/node/48915http://www.radiodabanga.org/node/46743http://www.radiodabanga.org/node/46743http://www.nubareports.org/reports/surge-fighting-humanitarian-negotiations-beginhttp://www.nubareports.org/reports/surge-fighting-humanitarian-negotiations-beginhttp://www.nubareports.org/reports/surge-fighting-humanitarian-negotiations-beginhttp://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130416/sudan-skordofan-rebels-control-army-basehttp://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130416/sudan-skordofan-rebels-control-army-basehttp://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130416/sudan-skordofan-rebels-control-army-basehttp://allafrica.com/stories/201304180127.htmlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jDb7hZKXM9Ahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jDb7hZKXM9Ahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jDb7hZKXM9Ahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jDb7hZKXM9Ahttp://allafrica.com/stories/201304180127.htmlhttp://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130416/sudan-skordofan-rebels-control-army-basehttp://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130416/sudan-skordofan-rebels-control-army-basehttp://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130416/sudan-skordofan-rebels-control-army-basehttp://www.nubareports.org/reports/surge-fighting-humanitarian-negotiations-beginhttp://www.nubareports.org/reports/surge-fighting-humanitarian-negotiations-beginhttp://www.nubareports.org/reports/surge-fighting-humanitarian-negotiations-beginhttp://www.radiodabanga.org/node/46743http://www.radiodabanga.org/node/46743http://www.radiodabanga.org/node/48915http://www.radiodabanga.org/node/48915http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA_Sudan_Weekly_Humanitarian_Bulletin_Issue_17_(22-28_April_2013).pdfhttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA_Sudan_Weekly_Humanitarian_Bulletin_Issue_17_(22-28_April_2013).pdfhttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA_Sudan_Weekly_Humanitarian_Bulletin_Issue_17_(22-28_April_2013).pdfhttp://www.ifrc.org/docs/Appeals/13/MDRSD017.pdfhttp://www.ifrc.org/docs/Appeals/13/MDRSD017.pdfhttp://news.sudanvisiondaily.com/details.html?rsnpid=222604http://news.sudanvisiondaily.com/details.html?rsnpid=222604http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article46757http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article46757http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/04/2013427143845319920.htmlhttp://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/04/2013427143845319920.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201305141107.htmlhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201305141107.html8/22/2019 Enough Civilians Caught in the Crossfire
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Satellite Sentinel Project
conducts regular, intensive
monitoring of Sudan
to assess the c urrent
human security situation
and identify potential
threats to c ivilians.
Satellite Sentinel Project