RSF attacks on Darfur camp kill dozens, army launches airstrikes
December 4, 2024 (EL FASHIR) – Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensified attacks on a displacement camp and nearby areas in North Darfur on Wednesday, killing at least 24 civilians and wounding dozens more. The Sudanese military responded with airstrikes in the region.
The RSF began shelling the Zamzam camp, home to thousands displaced by the conflict, on Dec. 1, killing more than 10 people. The bombardment has exacerbated conditions for those already facing starvation due to aid shortages and RSF restrictions on humanitarian access.
“At least four children were killed today in an artillery shelling, the third of its kind carried out by the RSF towards the Zamzam camp,” camp spokesperson Mohamed Khamis Doda told Sudan Tribune.
He described widespread panic caused by indiscriminate shelling and rocket fire, adding that numerous homes and shelters were destroyed. Camp authorities closed the main market, banned gatherings, and shut down Starlink internet service as protective measures.
The RSF claimed the attack was justified because a joint force of armed groups fighting in El-Fashir had retreated into the camp and were using displaced people as human shields.
In a separate incident, the RSF attacked the town of Abu Zureiga, south of El-Fashir and near Zamzam camp, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 15.
A local leader, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, told Sudan Tribune that the attack on the town occurred after a unit of allied forces departed from the area to El-Fashir.
The RSF stormed the town, firing indiscriminately and looting property, forcing thousands of civilians to flee to Shangil Tobaya or seek refuge in valleys with limited resources.
Airstrikes on RSF positions
Meanwhile, the Sudanese military launched airstrikes on RSF-controlled areas in North Darfur, causing further casualties.
The bombing included the town of Al Koma, east of El-Fashir, where witnesses reported nine people killed, others injured, and homes destroyed.
Al Koma, under RSF control, since the war began, has been subjected to repeated airstrikes, causing significant damage to infrastructure, including water sources.
Airstrikes also hit Milit, north of El-Fashir, and Al Zurq, in the far north of Darfur, an RSF logistical base.
An RSF spokesperson accused the military of “systematic genocide” in North Darfur and called on the United Nations and human rights organizations to investigate the airstrikes, which they claim killed more than 3,000 civilians in October and November.