Statement on the Shelling of Abu Shouk IDP Camp in North Darfur State
August 19, 2024
Based on credible reports, the Darfur Victims Organization has received confirmed information that the Abu Shouk IDP camp in North Darfur State, El Fasher, was targeted by heavy artillery. The accounts of the incident differ regarding the motives behind this attack on the IDP camp; however, the humanitarian situation at the camp has become catastrophic, with innocent civilians being the primary victims. Civilians are often used as human shields during intensified conflicts, putting them at great risk.
Currently, military confrontations are taking place in the city of El Fasher between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on one side, and the Sudanese Armed Forces along with their allies from certain armed movements that have signed the Juba Peace Agreement, including the Justice and Equality Movement led by Dr. Gibril Ibrahim and the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Arko Minnawi.
According to an eyewitness account collected by the organization, the shelling began around 3:00 PM on August 8, 2024, when five shells targeted the camp, resulting in injuries to five civilians. The details of the injuries are as follows:
- Hanan Mohamed Abkar Ahmed (32 years): Multiple body injuries, significant tissue loss, particularly in the posterior thigh muscle, left calf below the knee, and neck.
- Moussa Ali Adam Yahya (43 years): Shrapnel injury below the right shoulder.
- Abdel Nasser Adam Ishaq Omar (46 years): Shrapnel injury to the right leg below the knee.
- Jibril Abdullah Yahya Hasbo (42 years): Multiple shrapnel injuries across various parts of the body.
- Masajid Ahmed Adam (8 years): Shrapnel injury to the lower back of the neck.
The humanitarian situation in El Fasher is rapidly deteriorating due to ongoing clashes between the conflicting parties, including the Sudanese Armed Forces, RSF, and certain armed movements. The RSF’s siege of the city has prevented the entry of food supplies. In contrast, the army’s shelling of some health centers and the targeting of the city’s civilian power station have exacerbated the humanitarian, health, and economic crises. Prices of essential goods have skyrocketed, water stations have ceased operations due to a lack of fuel, and life-saving medicines are scarce.
According to an initial survey conducted by the organization, more than 10,000 people have fled from El Fasher to Tawila locality in search of safety amidst the ongoing tragic conditions.
Recommendations:
- The Darfur Victims’ Support Organization calls for an immediate cessation of the war.
- We demand the protection of civilians, the imposition of a no-fly zone over Sudan, and the withdrawal of all armed militias from the city.
- We commend the efforts of the U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan, Mr. Tom Beeler, and the representatives of the African Union and the European Union in the Geneva forum between the warring parties.
- We urge the parties involved in the conflict to open humanitarian corridors to aid civilians across Sudan without obstacles.
- We call on all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.
In conclusion, the Darfur Victims’ Support Organization stresses the need for all necessary measures to be taken to protect innocent civilians and ensure the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance.