UN reports that more than 1,000 civilians have lost their lives in Sudan’s Darfur, while the US and other nations call for a ceasefire
A report by the U.N. Human Rights Office on Thursday revealed that over 1,000 civilians lost their lives when a Sudanese paramilitary group seized control of a famine-stricken displacement camp in Darfur in April, with approximately one-third of those killed being summarily executed.
In the months leading up to the assault from April 11-13, the Rapid Support Forces obstructed the entry of food and supplies to the Zamzam camp in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, which is home to nearly half a million individuals displaced by civil war, as reported by the U.N.
The U.N. report indicated that during the takeover, the RSF launched assaults on civilians, with survivors recounting extensive incidents of killings, rape, torture, and abductions, resulting in at least 319 individuals being executed either within the camp or while attempting to escape.
“The intentional killing of civilians or individuals not participating in hostilities may amount to the war crime of murder,” stated U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk in a statement that accompanied the 18-page report.
The results stem from interviews carried out in July 2025 with 155 survivors and witnesses who escaped to Chad.
A witness stated that RSF fighters killed eight individuals who were hiding in a room at the camp by inserting rifles through a window and firing at them, according to the report.
The RSF has not yet provided a response to the request for comment. The organization has previously rejected allegations of harming civilians and stated that it will ensure accountability for any violations committed by its forces.
The attack in April served as a precursor to the later assault on al-Fashir city to the north in late October, during which the RSF is alleged to have summarily executed and kidnapped thousands of individuals. The majority of individuals believed to have resided in the city remain unaccounted for.
On Tuesday, the U.N. human rights office reported that drones had resulted in the deaths of more than 100 civilians in Sudan’s Kordofan this month.
