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saw many bodies at the roundabout and at the mosque and on the road,” he recalled. He
also witnessed soldiers killing civilians elsewhere in town: “I was moving around with
soldiers. I saw them killing people in the market. One commander told me civilians could
move but I saw them killing.” A 22-year-old cook from Sudan told Human Rights Watch she
saw 15 bodies outside the mosque “dumped in a pile”. Gen. James Koang who arrived in
Bentiu town around midday on April 14 after his forces had recaptured the town told
Human Rights Watch in June that people, including civilians, had been killed in the
hospital in an attack by opposition forces, described below, but that the number of people
killed in the mosque had been greatly exaggerated and that they were from the JEM force
and not civilians, although he admitted that they were not armed. He added that his efforts
to try and investigate these events further had been made impossible by ongoing conflict.
On April 14 and 15, 2014, hundreds of civilians went to the Bentiu hospital for safety
together with injured government soldiers and at least two JEM combatants seeking
sanctuary or treatment. 169 Witnesses told Human Rights Watch how groups of opposition
soldiers entered the compound, asked for JEM combatants, and executed Darfuris. A
doctor at the scene said at least 18 people were killed in total at the hospital. 170 He said:
“At 9 or 10 a.m. the opposition [forces] came to the hospital… they said don’t be afraid we
are looking for government. We saw 10 come and kill three Darfuris in the compound. They
entered the hospital and, still firing, killed 2 more.” 171
In the lead up to and following the attack, the population seeking refuge in the UNMISS
base in Bentiu surged to more than 25,000, with 10,000 arriving in one day. On April 16,
UNMISS transported more than 150 Darfuris from the hospital. These individuals, plus
wounded opposition fighters, were brought to the UNMISS base and treated for injuries.
UNMISS later transferred more than 100 Darfuris to JEM commanders, who transported
them out of Bentiu town.
169 Human Rights Watch interviews, names withheld, Bentiu, June 5, 2014. According to the witnesses the combatants
removed their uniforms before entering or while in the hospital.
170 Human Rights Watch interview, name withheld, June 5, 2014. The UN estimate that 20 people were killed in the hospital and
MSF has said that 21 Darfuris were killed and five Nuer. Medecins Sans Frontieres, “MSF condemns Unspeakable Violence in
Bentiu Hospital” April 28, 2014. http://www.msf.org/article/south-sudan-msf-condemns-unspeakable-violence-bentiu.
171 One witness said that the opposition commander in Bentiu, James Koang, sent soldiers to stop further violence in the
hospital later in the day on April 15, 2014.
67 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | AUGUST 2014