Amnesty International has called for an investigation into alleged war crimes committed by Sudans Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during an assault earlier this year on the Zamzam camp for displaced people in North Darfur. The rights group released a report on Wednesday detailing extensive accounts of atrocities carried out during the large-scale offensive.
According to the report, RSF fighters launched a violent attack on the famine-stricken camp as they tightened their siege on el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. The paramilitary group has since taken full control of the state and is advancing east toward West Kordofan, deepening an already devastating displacement crisis.
Between April 11 and 13, RSF units were reported to have fired explosives into crowded areas and opened fire randomly in residential zones. Witnesses said dozens of civilians were killed, including at least 47 people who were shot while trying to flee, hiding inside their homes, or seeking refuge in a mosque.
The RSFs brutal and intentional assault on desperate civilians at Zamzam shows, once again, its shocking disregard for human life, said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty Internationals secretary-general. People were attacked, killed, robbed of essential belongings, and left without any means of justice.
The report states that RSF fighters also set fire to homes and public buildings and carried out acts that may constitute rape and pillage. In just two days, an estimated 400,000 people were forced to flee the camp.
Amnestys findings are based on interviews with 29 individuals including survivors, eyewitnesses, and relatives of victims alongside video evidence and satellite imagery. The report adds to a growing body of documentation accusing the RSF of mass killings, summary executions, and sexual violence throughout Sudans 30-month conflict. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have also faced repeated allegations of war crimes.
Survivors described scenes of chaos, with RSF fighters firing indiscriminately to drive residents out. One man recalled: They were shouting and shooting everywhere thats why so many people died. Another witness said: You couldnt tell where the shelling was coming from. It was all around us.
A humanitarian volunteer reported seeing an RSF gunman firing randomly from a moving vehicle near the camps main market. Amnesty noted that attacks without a specific military target may constitute indiscriminate strikes, which are prohibited under international humanitarian law.
Another witness described how about 15 armed men stormed his familys compound, killing his 80-year-old brother and 30-year-old nephew. No one cares what is happening to us, he said.
The report also repeated long-standing criticism of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for allegedly providing support to the RSF allegations the UAE continues to deny.
The conflict between the SAF and RSF, ongoing since April 2023, has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly 12 million people. Diplomatic efforts to negotiate a ceasefire have yielded little progress. Although the RSF declared a unilateral truce last month following a proposal by the Quad Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the United States continued clashes indicate that neither side appears ready to halt the fighting.
