An international rights group has accused Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing war crimes during a brutal multi-day assault earlier this year on Zamzam camp, one of Darfur’s largest displacement sites, as Sudan’s catastrophic humanitarian crisis continues to spiral.

Amnesty International said in a detailed report released Wednesday that RSF fighters carried out killings, hostage-taking, and widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure during their April attack on Zamzam, located on the outskirts of el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. The assault took place during the RSF’s siege of the city — a campaign that culminated in the force’s capture of el-Fasher in October.

Killings, Torture, and Sexual Violence Documented

The U.K.-based rights group said the RSF’s attack included the killing of civilians sheltering in homes, a clinic, and a mosque, as well as the execution of residents attempting to flee. Amnesty documented the destruction of schools, health clinics, and places of worship, alongside reports of beatings, torture, rape, and sexual assault.

“The RSF’s horrific and deliberate assault on desperate, hungry civilians in Zamzam camp laid bare once again its alarming disregard for human life,” said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary-general.

Survivors described gunmen shooting men and women in the streets, raping women and girls, and burning large swaths of the camp — home to nearly half a million people before it was emptied in April.

One resident recounted to Amnesty how RSF fighters stormed a compound and killed his elderly brother and nephew. Another survivor said fighters indiscriminately opened fire from vehicle rooftops: “They just shoot anyone in the street.”

Not an Isolated Incident, Rights Group Warns

Amnesty stressed that the attack was part of a wider RSF campaign across Darfur targeting towns, villages, and camps for displaced people. The group also criticized the UAE for allegedly continuing to supply arms to the RSF despite evidence of atrocities — an accusation the UAE denies.

The RSF did not immediately respond to Amnesty’s latest findings.

Sudan’s War Nears Third Year, With Record Humanitarian Needs

The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces, which erupted in April 2023, has pushed Sudan to the brink of state collapse. The war has killed at least 40,000 people, though rights groups say the true toll is far higher due to mass graves, uncounted bodies, and inaccessible war zones.

More than 14 million people have been displaced — the largest displacement crisis in the world. The U.N. reports that over 25 million people now require humanitarian assistance, and famine conditions are rapidly expanding, particularly in Darfur and the Kordofan regions.

Zamzam camp, once among the largest displacement settlements in Darfur, is now experiencing one of the worst hunger crises globally. Aid agencies say that acute malnutrition rates among children have surged to emergency levels, and starvation deaths are being reported weekly.

U.N. relief officials warn that if fighting continues around el-Fasher — the last major aid hub in Darfur — humanitarian operations could collapse entirely.

International Investigations and Calls for Accountability

The U.S. government has accused the RSF of genocide in Darfur, echoing concerns from U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who called the crimes in el-Fasher “horrendous.” The International Criminal Court has opened investigations into suspected war crimes across Sudan, with a particular focus on Darfur.

The RSF’s roots lie in the Janjaweed militias responsible for the mass atrocities of the early 2000s, which left around 300,000 people dead and displaced 2.7 million. The 2004 establishment of Zamzam camp was a direct consequence of those earlier atrocities — a historical continuity Amnesty says underlines the urgent need for accountability.

Humanitarian Agencies Warn of Systemic Collapse

Aid workers say that without immediate international intervention — including reestablishing humanitarian corridors and increasing funding — millions of Sudanese may face starvation in the coming months. Relief efforts remain hampered by insecurity, bureaucratic obstruction, and attacks on aid convoys.

“Sudan is on the edge of the world’s worst famine in decades,” one senior U.N. humanitarian official said this week. “Zamzam is a warning — and the world is not listening.” (ILKHA)