Darfur Victims Support Organization
10 October 2024
Report on the Artillery Shelling of Abu Shouk IDP Camp by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), North Darfur, El Fasher – October 7, 2024
On October 7, 2024, the Darfur Victims Support Organization conducted interviews with the families of victims following an artillery bombardment by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the Abu Shouk IDP camp in El Fasher, North Darfur. According to these testimonies, the shelling commenced around 10:00 AM from the eastern and northern sides of the camp, specifically targeting Blocks 27 and 28, as well as the Northeastern Medical Secondary School, which had been repurposed by the Sudanese Armed Forces as a military base housing approximately 40 to 60 soldiers from the army and the Popular Resistance. The shelling persisted until approximately 12:00 PM.
At around 1:20 PM, the bombardment resumed this time with RSF forces firing Howitzer artillery. The second round of shelling targeted the Neivasha camp market, where seven shells were fired. The first struck the field, the second hit the clothing market, while others impacted nearby areas, including the home of Abdulhaq. On October 8, 2024, in response to a third deliberate artillery attack by RSF forces on the Abu Shouk market, the Chamber of Commerce and the Market Security Committee decided to close the market indefinitely. This decision has severely impacted civilians, depriving them of access to essential goods and services.
As a result of this shelling, 15 civilians lost their lives, and 21 others sustained injuries. The names of the deceased are as follows:
1. Salah Abkar Mohamed, aged 38, resident of Block 4/5G.
2. Abdullah Abkar Mohamed, aged 44, resident of Block 4/4G.
3. Othman Suleiman Juma, aged 40, resident of Block 5/5G.
4. Abbas Saleh Tirab, aged 23, resident of Block 5/2G.
5. Abdullah Ishaq Abkar Mohamed.
6. Maher Mohamed Adam Ahmed, resident of Block 17, Square 3.
7. Fatina Douma Adam, aged 15, resident of Block 6/12G.
8. Al-Tayeb, aged 45, resident of Block 4 West.
9. Maher Younis Ahmed, aged 26, resident of Block 3, Square 2.
10. Abbas Salah Adam, aged 20, resident of Block 2, Square 5.
11. Salah Eldin, resident of Block 5 West.
12. Ihsan Adam, aged 15, resident of Block 24 East.
13. Adam Issa.
14. Hikma.
15. Kabir.
The injured are as follows:
1. Mohamed Mohamedien Mohamed
2. Abdulaziz Haroun Hamid
3. Mayada Adam Abdullah
4. Hassan Abdullah Adam
5. Mubarak Al-Tom Hassan
6. Hawa Hussein Abkar
7. Mubarak Mohamed Ismail
8. Ahmed Youssef Hassan
9. Mu’tasim Saleh Hassan
10. Mohi Eldin Mohamed
11. Intisar Abubakar
12. Al-Tayeb, a butcher at Abu Shouk camp
13. Hafiz Bishr, Abu Shouk camp
14. Susan Abdullah, Abu Shouk camp
15. Sultan Mohamed Abdullah
16. Hajj Adam Abdullah
17. Salah Adam Othman
18. Abdullah Suleiman Younis
19. Sabriya Abdullah Mohamed
20. Masajid Ismail Ahmed
21. Zeina Mohamed Suleiman
Recommendations:
1. Immediate Cessation of Hostilities: The Darfur Victims Support Organization calls for the Rapid Support Forces to immediately halt all artillery attacks on civilians, particularly those in the Abu Shouk IDP camp in El Fasher, in line with their obligations under international humanitarian law.
2. International Investigation: The organization urges the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UN Human Rights Council’s Fact-Finding Commission to launch an independent and thorough investigation into the atrocities committed in North Darfur by all parties to the conflict, ensuring accountability for those responsible.
3. Ceasefire and Negotiation: The organization calls on all parties to the conflict – including the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces, and other armed groups – to cease all hostilities immediately and engage in direct negotiations aimed at resolving the Sudanese crisis through peaceful dialogue.
4. Unimpeded Humanitarian Access: The organization demands that the Rapid Support Forces lift the siege on El Fasher immediately and allow for the unrestricted flow of humanitarian assistance to civilians in need, in compliance with international humanitarian norms.
5. End to Military Aid: The organization calls on the Sudanese Armed Forces to cease all forms of military support, including aerial resupply, in El Fasher. Such actions only exacerbate the conflict and intensify the suffering of civilians.
This report by the Darfur Victims Support Organization aims to shed light on the ongoing violations against civilians in Darfur. We call upon the international community to act decisively to end these egregious acts and to hold those responsible accountable in accordance with international legal standards.
