The Sudanese Alliance for Rights strongly condemns the deliberate and unlawful attack carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 11 April 2025 at the Zamzam displacement camp in El Fasher, North Darfur State.
At approximately 10:00 AM local time, the RSF launched a violent military assault on Zamzam Camp—originally established to shelter displaced persons from across Darfur—using both heavy and light weaponry in a densely populated civilian area. This indiscriminate attack and intense gunfire left dozens of civilians dead, including women, children, the elderly, medical personnel, and humanitarian aid workers. Many others were wounded, and several shops were destroyed, sparking widespread panic and forcing many civilians to flee the camp in search of shelter in the open.
Previously, the RSF claimed that its actions were in response to alleged deployments by joint forces aligned with the Sudanese Armed Forces, who were reportedly using the camp as a military base—stationing troops, deploying equipment and artillery, and establishing checkpoints. According to the RSF, these activities turned Zamzam Camp into a launch point for attacks against its positions, as the group continues its efforts to seize control of the army division’s headquarters in El Fasher.
Regardless of such justification, the movement of armed conflict into a civilian setting such as Zamzam Camp constitutes a grave violation of international and regional legal standards, including:
- International Humanitarian Law, which strictly prohibits the targeting of civilians and the use of civilian sites for military purposes;
- Customary International Law, particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality in the conduct of hostilities;
- The Fourth Geneva Convention, which safeguards civilians during armed conflict;
- The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which protects the rights to life, security, and dignity.
The Sudanese Alliance for Rights reiterates that no justification can excuse endangering civilian lives or using displacement camps for military operations. Both the RSF and any armed forces operating in or near civilian areas must be held accountable for actions that violate international law.
We urgently call on:
- All warring parties to immediately cease military operations in and around civilian areas and fully comply with international legal obligations.
- The African Union, United Nations, and relevant international bodies to launch an independent investigation into the attack on Zamzam Camp and ensure accountability for those responsible.
- Humanitarian agencies to be granted immediate and unhindered access to provide lifesaving support to those affected.
We stand in solidarity with the victims and survivors of this atrocity and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to protecting civilians, advocating for justice, and upholding the rule of law in Sudan.
Sudanese Alliance for Rights14 April 2025
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