Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) carried out a deadly raid on the Abu Shouk displacement camp near el-Fasher, North Darfur, killing at least 40 people and injuring 19, according to local rights groups.
The camp, which shelters around 450,000 displaced people, has faced repeated attacks since the outbreak of war in April 2023.
On Monday, RSF fighters moved into sections of the camp, targeting residents inside their homes.
Satellite images from Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab showed about 40 RSF vehicles positioned in the camp’s northwest sector.
Witness accounts and verified images indicate that civilians were shot while attempting to escape, with forces blocking main roads to prevent movement out of el-Fasher.
Abu Shouk is one of two sites in Sudan currently suffering from severe famine. Aid organizations report over 60 malnutrition-related deaths in el-Fasher within a single week, mostly among women and children.
The United Nations estimates that more than 12 million people have been displaced nationwide and about 40,000 have been killed since the conflict began.
The Sudanese army stated that it repelled a major RSF attack in el-Fasher, destroying 16 vehicles and seizing 34 others.
The RSF, however, claimed to have made territorial gains and captured military equipment, without giving details.
In North Kordofan, the RSF has forced over 3,000 families from 66 villages since early August, taking livestock and belongings.
Many of the displaced have fled to Khartoum and White Nile provinces. Recent violence there has killed at least 18 civilians and injured many more.
Aid agencies warn that millions across Sudan face escalating hunger and insecurity as the conflict worsens.