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Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces Assault Darfur Camps, Leaving Scores Dead
In a significant escalation of the ongoing civil conflict, Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have perpetrated a deadly assault on two camps in the Darfur region, resulting in the deaths of at least 100 individuals. Among the victims are 20 children and nine humanitarian aid workers. These camps, already facing severe famine conditions, became the target of the RSF, marking a grim turn as the nation’s protracted civil war approaches its third year.
Camps Sheltering Displaced Populations Targeted
The Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps, providing refuge to over 700,000 individuals fleeing relentless violence, were deliberately targeted by the RSF. This violence, according to United Nations estimates, has tragically claimed tens of thousands of lives, forcibly displaced approximately 12.7 million people, and precipitated acute hunger for 24.6 million Sudanese citizens.
UN Condemns Attacks on Civilians and Aid Workers
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator, issued a statement on Saturday denouncing the recent attacks as “yet another lethal and unacceptable escalation” in the devastating conflict. She emphasized that assaults directed at civilian populations and humanitarian personnel constitute “grave breaches of international humanitarian law.”
Aid Workers Among Victims in Health Post Attack
Nkweta-Salami further stated that “colleagues from an international non-governmental organization were killed while operating one of the very few remaining health posts still operational within the camp,” highlighting the devastating impact on critical aid infrastructure.
Conflict Roots in Power Struggle
The current warfare is a result of a power struggle between Sudan’s armed forces, commanded by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the nation’s de facto leader, and the RSF militia, headed by his former deputy, Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo. These two figures, previously allies within the military junta that assumed power following the 2021 dissolution of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s government, experienced a rapid deterioration of their power-sharing arrangement, igniting the war in April 2023.
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RSF Accused of Severe Human Rights Abuses
Both factions have faced accusations of widespread human rights violations. However, a U.N. fact-finding mission in October uncovered evidence indicating the RSF’s responsibility for large-scale sexual violence in regions under their control. These atrocities include gang rapes, abductions, and sexual enslavement.
US Declares RSF Actions as Genocide
In January, the United States government formally determined that the RSF had perpetrated genocide within areas they control, underscoring the severity of the abuses.
Children Victims of Sexual Violence
A UNICEF report issued in March detailed harrowing accounts of sexual assault against children, some as young as one year old, by armed forces. This report represents the first comprehensive documentation illustrating the use of mass sexual violence as a weapon of war specifically targeting children in Sudan.
The agency documented over 200 cases of child rape since the beginning of 2023, though report authors emphasized this figure likely represents only a fraction of the actual occurrences.
Aid Funding Crisis Exacerbates Humanitarian Disaster
These recent attacks occur amidst a critical funding shortfall for aid organizations. This crisis was intensified after a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid was enacted in February.
According to organizers, one network operating communal kitchens was forced to immediately halt the majority of its operations due to funding deficits. Approximately 75% of their funding originated from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Abuzar Osman Suliman, coordinator of the Emergency Response Rooms in Darfur, stated in February that all 40 of the community kitchens in the Zamzam camp had been shut down due to lack of resources.
Famine Deepens Across Sudan
U.N. agencies have struggled to deliver substantial food aid to the Zamzam camp. An analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) had already declared famine in the camps in August. The IPC is an international system utilized by the U.N. and governments for assessing food security.
The IPC reports that famine conditions have since extended to four additional areas within Sudan and are anticipated to worsen and expand in the coming months. This is attributed to the ongoing conflict and restricted access for humanitarian assistance, painting a dire picture of the escalating humanitarian crisis.