Sudanese Rapid Support Forces Carry Out Deadly Attack on North Darfur Camp, Leaving 40 Dead
The Sudanese city of El Fasher remains under the control of the military, despite frequent clashes with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their attempts to seize control. According to satellite imagery gathered on Saturday, the RSF has blocked routes used by people to escape El Fasher, controlling points across the El Fasher to Kutum road and an opening towards Mellit, North Darfur.
The RSF has been accused of launching deadly attacks on the Abu Shouk displacement camp, located near El Fasher. This camp, housing approximately 450,000 displaced persons, has been under siege with frequent RSF attacks, despite being in a government-controlled area.
The attacks on Abu Shouk have been devastating. On March 31, 2025, RSF shelling resulted in the deaths of seven people. On August 11, an RSF attack killed at least 40 people and injured 19, with this assault including raids on homes within the camp. This attack forced about 500 residents to flee. Further losses were reported on August 15 and 16, with RSF shelling causing the deaths of three and 31 people, respectively.
Between January and June 2025, the RSF attacked the camp at least 16 times, resulting in at least 212 deaths and 111 injuries. The United Nations has expressed deep alarm over these repeated assaults, condemning deliberate attacks on civilians and warning of potential ethnically motivated persecution as the RSF attempts to seize control of El Fasher and Abu Shouk.
The civil war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has already claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced as many as 12 million people. The ongoing conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis, with over 60 people dying from malnutrition in El Fasher in one week, mostly women and children.
The RSF has also been accused of displacing over 3,000 families from 66 villages in North Kordofan province since early August, looting their properties and stealing their money and livestock. The Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale University has gathered and analysed photos and footage allegedly showing the RSF shooting at people and using ethnic slurs.
The conflict in El Fasher escalated on Monday, with the Sudanese army and the RSF clashing in the city. The RSF claimed it made advances in El Fasher and seized military equipment, while the Sudanese army claimed it defeated the RSF, destroying more than 16 combat vehicles and capturing 34 vehicles.
The Resistance Committees in El Fasher confirmed the attacks, stating that the scene reflected "horrific violations committed against innocent, defenseless people." Darfur Gov. Mini Arko Minawi referred to the RSF as those who betrayed their land in a post about Monday's fight in El Fasher.
Satellite imagery gathered by the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale University showed 40 vehicles present at the Abu Shouk Camp on Monday, raising concerns about the ongoing attacks and humanitarian crisis in the area. The international community is urged to take action to protect civilians and address the humanitarian needs in Sudan.
- The media has been reporting on the ongoing clashes in El Fasher between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with concerns about the safety of civilians, especially those living in the Abu Shouk displacement camp.
- General-news outlets have covered the community of El Fasher, specifically the attacks on the Abu Shouk displacement camp, which houses approximately 450,000 displaced persons, and the potential ethnically motivated persecution in the region.
- News of the civil war in Sudan, which has already displaced as many as 12 million people, is dominating headlines, with the United Nations condemning deliberate attacks on civilians and urging action from the international community to address the humanitarian crisis.
- Crime-and-justice reports have highlighted the alleged attacks by the RSF on 3,000 families from 66 villages in North Kordofan province, including looting, theft, and the use of ethnic slurs.
- Accidents and news of accidents have been reported in El Fasher, with satellite imagery gathered by the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale University showing 40 vehicles present at the Abu Shouk Camp, raising concerns about ongoing attacks and the potential for further humanitarian crises in the area.
