Dozens of rapes, 154 deaths documented at Darfur camp

April 1, 2025 (EL FASHER) – A committee managing the vast Abu Shouk camp for displaced people in Sudan’s North Darfur state on Tuesday accused paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters of raping women and girls, saying it had documented cases over the past three months.

The camp, located north of El Fasher and housing over 1 million displaced people, faces daily artillery shelling blamed on the RSF. Community leaders say the attacks have displaced about 70% of residents and destroyed thousands of homes as well as water and medical facilities.

Seifeddine Sajo, a camp committee member identified as a local mayor, told Sudan Tribune they had documented 27 cases of rape committed by RSF forces between January and the end of March.

Sajo said nine of the victims were minors aged 14 to 16.

He said 154 people, including 57 women, were killed by shelling in the camp during the same January-March period, while 267 others were injured. Of those injured, 75 lost limbs due to the bombardments, Sajo added.

International aid organisations have previously warned of famine conditions in Abu Shouk, blaming shortages of food and humanitarian supplies on the RSF’s continuing siege of El Fasher.