In a tragic escalation of violence, shelling by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) resulted in the deaths of at least 14 individuals in a displacement camp in Darfur on Wednesday, according to volunteer rescuers. The assault targeted both a market and residential areas within the Abu Shouk camp, as reported by the local Emergency Response Room, which has been pivotal in delivering frontline aid amid the ongoing conflict that has engulfed the nation since April 2023.
Witness accounts from the rescue group described the shelling as “heavy artillery,” leading not only to fatalities but also multiple injuries among the camp’s residents. Abu Shouk, located near El-Fasher in North Darfur, is a refuge for tens of thousands who have been displaced due to violence from both historical conflicts in the region and the current civil war.
Since losing control of Khartoum in March, the RSF has ramped up its offensive against El-Fasher, which remains the last state capital in Darfur under army control. The RSF has consistently targeted nearby camps, including Abu Shouk, in an attempt to consolidate its power in the region. On May 18, a similar attack resulted in the deaths of 14 people at the camp, also attributed to the RSF’s actions.
The ongoing war has wreaked havoc across Sudan, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, displacing approximately 13 million people, and contributing to what has become one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, characterized by severe food shortages. The conflict has effectively bifurcated Sudan, with the army in control of the center, north, and east, while the RSF dominates nearly all of Darfur and parts of the southern region, alongside its allies.
This recent surge in violence underscores the critical need for humanitarian intervention and the dire situation faced by countless individuals caught in the crossfire of this devastating conflict.
