Amnesty International has called for an investigation into war crimes following an assault by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on a displaced persons camp in North Darfur, Sudan, earlier this year. The report describes serious crimes committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during a large attack on the Zamzam camp. The RSF has been accused of carrying out indiscriminate killings and mass rape in its ongoing conflict with the Sudanese military government, which started in April 2023.
The attack on the camp, which is struggling with hunger, happened while the RSF was laying siege to El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. The RSF now controls the state and is moving into West Kordofan, causing millions of people to be displaced.
The attacks on the Zamzam camp – the largest facility for internally displaced persons in North Darfur – took place between April 11 and April 13. According to the report, RSF fighters deployed explosives in populated areas and randomly fired upon residential neighborhoods.
The document provides numerous accounts of deadly attacks on civilians, with witnesses describing how RSF fighters fatally shot at least 47 people who were hiding in their homes, fleeing the violence, or seeking shelter in a mosque.
“The RSF’s horrific and deliberate assault on desperate, hungry civilians in Zamzam camp once again highlights its alarming disregard for human life,” said Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty International.
“Civilians were ruthlessly attacked and killed, robbed of essential items for their survival and livelihood, and left without any means of seeking justice.”
The assault, which included RSF fighters intentionally setting fire to homes and other buildings, as well as committing acts that may constitute rape and pillage, resulted in approximately 400,000 people fleeing the camp within just two days, according to the report.
RSF Fighter Shouting and Shooting Anywhere
The recent report accuses the Rapid Support Forces of serious violations during Sudan’s 30-month conflict. The report is based on interviews with 29 people, including witnesses, survivors, and family members of victims.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which is part of the military government, has also been accused of numerous war crimes.
Survivors of the Zamzam attack described how RSF fighters shot at people without care and set fires, forcing residents to escape. One man said that the RSF fighters were shouting and shooting in all directions, which is how many people were killed. Another person said that you could not tell where the shelling was coming from, but it was everywhere.
A woman, who serves as a volunteer for a nongovernmental organization, described an RSF fighter randomly firing from his vehicle while driving near the camp’s main market. According to Amnesty International, shooting without a specific military target may constitute indiscriminate attacks, which are serious violations of international humanitarian law.
Another eyewitness shared a harrowing account of how 15 armed men stormed his compound and fatally shot his 80-year-old brother and 30-year-old nephew. “No one is concerned about our situation,” he moaned.
No End in Sight
Amnesty International has once again criticized the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in its report for allegedly supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a claim that has been widely made.
The UAE has firmly denied providing arms or financial support to the RSF.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF have been engaged in a brutal conflict since April 2023, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of people and displacing nearly 12 million.
Efforts to negotiate a truce have made little progress. Last month, the RSF declared a unilateral ceasefire following a peace plan proposed by the “Quad,” a group of mediators that includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the United States.
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