UN Condemns Brutal RSF Attacks That Killed 89 Civilians in Darfur in 10 Days
UN Condemns Brutal RSF Attacks That Killed 89 Civilians in Darfur in 10 Days
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The UN has condemned a series of “brutal” attacks by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Darfur that killed at least 89 civilians, including 16 summarily executed, between August 11 and 20, Arab News reported.
According to UN human rights spokesperson Jeremy Laurence, most of the killings took place in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and the nearby Abu Shouk displacement camp. At least 57 people were killed in assaults on August 11, while another 32 died between August 16 and 20. Victims included members of the African Zaghawa and Berti tribes, raising concerns of ethnically motivated violence.
El-Fasher, the military’s last major stronghold in Darfur, has faced relentless RSF bombardment for more than a year. The city has been under total blockade since July, leaving hundreds of thousands trapped without aid. Displacement camps such as Abu Shouk and Zamzam—once housing over half a million people—have been repeatedly attacked and are now largely emptied amid famine.
The RSF, formed from the Janjaweed militias accused of atrocities in the early 2000s, has been at war with Sudan’s military since April 2023. The conflict has killed more than 40,000 people, displaced 14 million, and pushed parts of Sudan into famine, with families resorting to eating grass to survive.
The UN warned that the RSF’s deliberate targeting of civilians constitutes grave breaches of international humanitarian law. The International Criminal Court has opened investigations into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity.
