In brief
At least 40 people have lost their lives in a harrowing attack on a displacement camp in Sudan's Darfur region, according to reports from an aid organization. The assault, occurring in the Abu Shouk camp, was carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group engaged in fierce combat with the Sudanese army since April 2023. The local resistance committee from el-Fasher city, which is in proximity to the camp, corroborated the details of the incident.
Witness accounts indicate that some victims were shot at home while others were gunned down in public spaces. The attack on the camp is described as a direct consequence of the ongoing civil war, which has resulted in tremendous suffering and a major humanitarian crisis. The United Nations has raised alarms about starvation threatening families trapped in the besieged city of el-Fasher, the last major defense stronghold for the Sudanese army and its allies amid the conflict.In response to the violence, satellite imagery from a US-based organization has identified a significant presence of light vehicles in areas surrounding the camp, suggesting the assault may have originated from northern positions. Reports are also emerging of RSF members allegedly shooting at fleeing civilians while using ethnic slurs, indicating a targeted attack, particularly against non-Arab communities, such as the Zaghawa, who have historically faced brutality.The Abu Shouk camp, established over two decades ago, mainly shelters individuals from the Fur and Zaghawa communities who previously fled violence from the notorious Janjaweed militia, which gave rise to the RSF. The ongoing conflict has led to the deaths of tens of thousands, displaced over 12 million, and resulted in famine conditions across various regions of Sudan. Previous attacks on displacement camps, including one in April that saw over 100 fatalities, underscore the relentless nature of this crisis, leaving the humanitarian situation increasingly dire.
