At least 40 civilians were killed in a brutal attack on Abu Shouk displacement camp in Sudan’s Darfur region, according to local aid groups. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group carried out Monday’s assault, which targeted the camp housing 200,000 displaced people fleeing Sudan’s civil war. Nearby el-Fasher, the last major army stronghold in Darfur, also faced heavy bombardment as fighting escalates in the region.
Eyewitnesses reported victims were shot execution-style in their homes and public spaces. Satellite analysis by the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab identified 40 RSF vehicles near the camp, supporting claims of a coordinated attack.
Disturbing videos allegedly show RSF fighters shooting fleeing civilians while using ethnic slurs, reviving memories of the Janjaweed militia’s genocide in the 2000s. The RSF, which evolved from the Janjaweed, faces renewed genocide allegations and US sanctions for ethnic cleansing.
As the RSF and Sudanese army battle for control of el-Fasher, the UN warns besieged residents face famine. The city shelters thousands who fled earlier RSF attacks, including April’s Zamzam camp massacre that killed over 100 people. With 12 million displaced since the war began in April 2023, Darfur’s humanitarian collapse mirrors its darkest chapters.
Abu Shouk camp was established 20 years ago for Fur and Zaghawa communities escaping Janjaweed violence. Now, history repeats as Zaghawa civilians are reportedly targeted for their ethnic ties to army allies. The RSF denies involvement, calling the violence “tribal conflicts,” despite evidence of systematic attacks on displacement camps.
