New information from a United Nations report highlights targeted sexual violence and summary executions by paramilitary fighters in North Darfur, particularly following their takeover of El Fasher in late October.
The OHCHR report outlines the torture and abductions of civilians during a three-day RSF assault on the Zamzam camp for displaced individuals, resulting in significant loss of life and displacement.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk noted over 1,000 civilian deaths in the Zamzam operation, including 319 summary executions, emphasizing that such actions could constitute war crimes and urging global awareness to prevent further atrocities. At the time of the RSF assault, Zamzam camp was home to roughly 500,000 people displaced by Sudan’s war, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF following a faltering transition to civilian rule.
The OHCHR report details the Zamzam attack from April 11 to 13, marked by extensive artillery shelling and ground assaults, leading to significant civilian casualties and displacement. It highlights horrific incidents of sexual violence, with at least 104 individuals, including 75 women, 26 girls, and three boys (predominantly from the Zaghawa ethnic group), enduring acts such as rape, gang rape, and sexual slavery, which Türk describes as a deliberate tactic to instill terror.
The testimonies reveal instances of summary executions of displaced individuals, particularly by RSF fighters targeting civilians at religious sites, with specific accounts of attacks on a mosque and a religious school. One community leader recounted a narrow escape while hiding from RSF fighters, during which eight of his companions were killed.
The findings are drawn from UN human rights monitoring and a field mission to eastern Chad in July, which included interviews with 155 victims and witnesses who fled Zamzam during and after the RSF offensive (114 women, three girls, and six boys). Türk urged for an impartial and thorough investigation into the Zamzam attack, emphasizing the need for accountability for serious violations of international law through fair proceedings.
