Over 100 feared dead in Sudan as RSF attacks El-Fasher and famine camps

UN reports devastating RSF assaults on El-Fasher, Zamzam, and Abu Shouk camps amid worsening famine.

Photo taken during a visit to the border and the UNHCR entry point for refugees as part of a mission addressing the humanitarian crisis in Adré, Chad, on April 9, 2025. Photo by Benoit Doppagne/AFP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

More than 100 people, including 20 children, are now feared dead in Sudan as the conflict between the Rapid Support Forces and the regular army intensifies in the besieged Darfur region. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a series of coordinated attacks on Friday targeting the city of El-Fasher and two nearby camps—Zamzam and Abu Shouk—that are already battling famine. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs confirmed the attacks and said the death toll could rise as communication remains severely limited in the region.

This surge of violence marks one of the deadliest escalations in the ongoing civil war that has ravaged Sudan since April 2023. The Sudan RSF El-Fasher attack has drawn condemnation from international humanitarian organizations, particularly due to the deaths of aid workers and the worsening humanitarian disaster in the region.

El-Fasher under siege as paramilitary forces escalate

El-Fasher, the last state capital in Darfur still under army control, has become a strategic and symbolic target for the RSF. Over recent weeks, the paramilitary group has intensified efforts to capture the city, especially after losing control of Khartoum, which was retaken by the army in March.

According to the United Nations, Friday’s RSF offensive involved both ground forces and aerial bombardments. These attacks were simultaneously launched against El-Fasher and the displacement camps of Zamzam and Abu Shouk—areas already teetering on the edge of famine and without basic infrastructure or medical support.

Initial reports from a local resistance committee put Friday’s death toll at 57, but the Sudanese army later announced that 74 civilians had died in El-Fasher alone. Communications blackouts and internet shutdowns have made it difficult to verify the full extent of the destruction, particularly in Zamzam camp.

Famine, displacement, and civilian casualties

The Sudan RSF El-Fasher attack comes at a time when the humanitarian situation in Darfur is dire. Zamzam was the first area in Sudan where famine was officially declared in 2023, and since then, hunger has spread to surrounding camps including Abu Shouk and Al Salam. Humanitarian agencies have warned that famine could hit El-Fasher itself by May if aid access remains blocked.

Among those killed in Friday’s assault were nine aid workers operating a small hospital in Zamzam, according to the Sudanese Organisation for the Protection of Civilians. The facility, run by an international non-governmental organization, was one of the last health outposts still functioning in the area.

Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, condemned the killings, stating, “The colleagues from an international non-governmental organisation were killed while operating one of the very few remaining health posts still operational in the camp. This represents yet another deadly and unacceptable escalation in a series of brutal attacks on displaced people and aid workers in Sudan.”

RSF denies involvement amid global outrage

As graphic videos and images allegedly from the attack circulated online, activists accused the RSF of committing war crimes and deliberately targeting civilians. In response, the paramilitary group denied the accusations, calling the videos “fabricated productions” and “a desperate attempt to criminalize” their forces.

Despite the denial, a local advocacy group known as the Darfur General Coordination of Camps for the Displaced and Refugees reported that fighting resumed on Saturday. Gunfire and explosions were heard throughout the morning in Zamzam, while terrified residents sought shelter or attempted to flee on foot.

This renewed violence has raised alarms among international monitors and humanitarian workers, who fear a full-scale massacre may be underway. The UN and other aid agencies have repeatedly urged all parties to allow humanitarian access and to protect civilians under international law.

Humanitarian response hampered by insecurity

The United Nations and partner organizations have struggled to reach affected areas due to ongoing violence, roadblocks, and threats to staff. In recent months, humanitarian convoys have been looted, aid workers detained, and supply warehouses destroyed. These obstacles have severely limited efforts to deliver food, water, and medical aid to millions in need.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 12 million people have been displaced since the war began in April 2023. Tens of thousands have been killed, and many more face daily threats from violence, disease, and starvation.

With the Sudan RSF El-Fasher attack, the UN now warns of an accelerating collapse of humanitarian conditions in Darfur. "What we’re witnessing in El-Fasher and the surrounding camps is not just a military conflict—it’s a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in real-time," said a UN field coordinator speaking on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.

International reaction and calls for accountability

The international community has condemned the violence in Sudan, with the European Union, African Union, and United States all calling for an immediate ceasefire. Human rights groups have urged the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged war crimes committed by both the RSF and the army.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has reiterated demands for both sides to respect humanitarian law and protect civilians. “The killing of aid workers and targeted attacks on displacement camps are abhorrent and must end immediately,” he said during a press briefing in New York.

However, international diplomatic efforts have so far failed to bring about a lasting truce. Previous ceasefire agreements have repeatedly broken down, and both the RSF and army continue to accuse each other of violating terms.

What lies ahead for El-Fasher and Darfur?

With El-Fasher under siege and food stocks dwindling, there is growing fear that the city and its surrounding camps could become the next epicenter of mass starvation and violence. Aid agencies warn that without urgent intervention, thousands more could die in the coming weeks.

The Sudan RSF El-Fasher attack has shifted global focus back to the brutal civil war that, despite its enormous toll, has often been overshadowed by other international crises. For the people of Darfur, the stakes are existential. Families who survived previous genocidal campaigns now face yet another chapter of bloodshed and abandonment.

As calls for international action grow louder, the question remains whether global powers will act in time to prevent further atrocities—or whether El-Fasher will become the site of another forgotten massacre in the long history of Sudan’s suffering.