Sudan is calling for international assistance after a catastrophic landslide in the Marrah Mountains of Central Darfur wiped out the village of Tarasin, killing nearly all of its estimated 1,000 residents.
The Sudan Liberation Movement-Army, which controls the area, confirmed on September 3 that the village was “completely levelled,” with only one known survivor. The disaster, triggered by days of heavy rainfall, is now regarded as one of the deadliest natural calamities in Sudan’s recent history.
The ruling Sovereign Council in Khartoum said all available resources had been mobilized, while the United Nations and aid groups, including the International Organization for Migration, pledged to support relief operations. However, access to the disaster zone remains severely hampered by conflict, poor weather and a lack of resources. Footage shared from the scene shows flattened terrain, as local farmers and tribal leaders attempt to recover and bury victims with minimal support. Aid workers warned that the ongoing civil war has left Darfur largely cut off from sustained humanitarian assistance.
The tragedy comes as Sudan remains gripped by a brutal conflict between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced over 14 million. Rights groups and the UN have documented widespread atrocities, while famine has left families in Darfur and Kordofan regions struggling to survive. With more than 30 million Sudanese in need of aid, international organizations warn that the country cannot withstand such overlapping crises without urgent global intervention.