Mass exodus from Abu Shouk camp as violence escalates in El-Fasher

May 23, 2024 (EL FASHER) – Amidst escalating violence and widespread abuses by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), an estimated 60% of residents have fled the Abu Shouk camp in El-Fasher, North Darfur. The camp, home to approximately 400,000 displaced persons, was overrun by the RSF on Wednesday, triggering a wave of killings, lootings, arrests, and arson, particularly in sections 27 and 28.

Adam Rijal, spokesperson for the Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur, told Sudan Tribune that the exodus began early Thursday morning, with thousands fleeing the northern sections of the camp “to unknown areas.” Rijal detailed the extensive violations suffered by residents, including looting, robbery, and direct gunfire into homes.

The mass displacement is fueled by both the RSF’s brutal actions and the indiscriminate shelling of the camp by both sides of the conflict. The RSF was eventually repelled from Abu Shouk by a joint force of armed movements and pushed back to the Mali Gate.

Meanwhile, intense clashes persist near Abu Shouk and the nearby Naivasha camp, causing numerous injuries and destroying homes. Eyewitnesses report the use of heavy weaponry, with the conflict showing no signs of abating.

El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, has been engulfed in bloody conflict for two weeks between the army, allied armed movements, and the RSF, resulting in a significant civilian death toll. In a surprising development, an army position in northern El-Fasher abruptly withdrew, citing ammunition shortages, inadvertently allowing the RSF to infiltrate the Abu Shouk camp.

In an effort to bolster the army and its allies, a military source revealed a successful airdrop operation delivering military equipment to El-Fasher. However, the situation on the ground remains dire, with the humanitarian crisis deepening as thousands of displaced individuals seek safety and refuge.