Amnesty accuses Sudanese paramilitary of committing war crimes during attack on refugee camp

CAIRO Amnesty International has accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group in Sudan, of committing war crimes during their assault earlier this year on Zamzam, the largest displacement camp in Darfur. The attack took place in April as part of the RSF's siege of el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur province.

The RSF, engaged in conflict with Sudans military, seized el-Fasher, the last military stronghold in Darfur, in October. According to Amnesty, their multi-day operation in Zamzam involved killing civilians, taking hostages, and destroying mosques, schools, and health facilities. The organization emphasized that these actions require investigation as war crimes.

The RSFs deliberate assault on vulnerable civilians in Zamzam highlights its blatant disregard for human life, said Agns Callamard, Amnesty Internationals secretary-general.

This report adds to previous international accusations against the RSF for atrocities during Sudans 30-month-long war, including mass killings and sexual violence, particularly in Darfur. The Sudanese military has also faced allegations of war crimes. The conflict, which erupted in April 2023 due to a power struggle between the RSF and the military, has killed around 40,000 people, with some estimates much higher, and displaced over 14 million, creating a severe humanitarian crisis. Zamzam and other areas have suffered famine.

The Zamzam attack was not an isolated incident but part of a continuous campaign against villages and displacement camps, Callamard noted.

The RSF has not officially responded to Amnestys report. Following the April assault, the group claimed the camp was a military base and denied targeting civilians.

Survivors and aid workers recounted that RSF fighters killed men and women in the streets, tortured others, and sexually assaulted women and girls. Large sections of homes, markets, and public buildings were burned. The attack on April 11 nearly emptied the 20-year-old camp, once home to about 500,000 people. Amnesty reported that 47 victims were killed while hiding in homes, a clinic, or a mosque.

Some residents reported deaths from shelling in densely populated areas between April 11-12. One survivor described RSF fighters killing his 80-year-old brother and 30-year-old nephew after storming their compound. Another woman, an NGO volunteer, recounted fighters shooting indiscriminately from vehicles near the camp market.

Amnesty also criticized the United Arab Emirates for supporting the RSF and called for a halt to arms transfers to the UAE due to the risk of diversion to the paramilitary group. The UAE has denied supplying weapons to the RSF.

The RSF originated from the Janjaweed militias, infamous for atrocities in Darfur in the early 2000s, which killed an estimated 300,000 people and displaced 2.7 million. Former President Omar al-Bashir was indicted by the International Criminal Court in 2009 for war crimes and genocide. Zamzam camp, established in 2004 for Janjaweed victims, expanded to cover roughly 8 kilometers by 3 kilometers south of el-Fasher.

U.N. Secretary-General Antnio Guterres condemned the crimes in el-Fasher as horrendous and demanded accountability. The U.S. government has accused the RSF of genocide in Darfur, and the International Criminal Court is investigating suspected war crimes in the ongoing Sudan conflict, particularly in Darfur.

Author: Sophia Brooks