UN report: Horrific patterns of violations were committed during the attack on Zamzam camp in Darfur

This call came after his office issued a report, today, Thursday, detailing the large-scale killings, rapes, other types of sexual violence, torture, and kidnapping committed during the attack launched by the Rapid Support Forces on the Zamzam camp for displaced people last April, which lasted for three days.

The report stated that at least 1,013 civilians were killed during the attack launched from 11 to 13 April, describing it as “a consistent pattern of gross violations of international humanitarian law and gross violations of international human rights law.”

He added that 319 people were executed among the dead who died either inside the camp or while trying to escape, as some of them were killed in their homes during house-to-house searches carried out by the Rapid Support Forces, while others were killed in the main market, schools, health facilities and mosques, and more than 400,000 camp residents were displaced again as a result of the attack.

Turk said: “The intentional killing of civilians or persons not participating in the fighting may constitute the war crime of willful killing.”.

Sexual violence to create terror

The report also detailed patterns of conflict-related sexual violence, with at least 104 survivors, including 75 women, 26 girls and 3 boys, most of them from the Zaghawa tribe, exposed to horrific sexual violence, including rape, gang rape and sexual slavery, both during the attack on the camp and along the routes out of the camp.

The report said that it appears that sexual violence was deliberately used to instill terror among the population.

The report stated that, in the months preceding the attack, the Rapid Support Forces prevented the entry of all food, water, fuel and other basic goods that are indispensable for the survival of the civilian population in the camp, and launched systematic attacks on anyone who tried to bring in supplies.

“The world cannot stand idly by.”

The High Commissioner said: “These horrific patterns of violations committed with impunity are consistent with what my office has repeatedly documented, including during the RSF takeover of El Fasher in late October.”.

He explained that these findings contained in the report once again remind us of the necessity of immediate action to end the cycle of atrocities and violence, and to ensure accountability and compensation for the victims.

Turk said: “The world cannot stand idly by while this cruelty takes root day after day in Sudan. All countries, especially those with influence over the status quo, must do everything in their power to prevent atrocities from being committed.”.

He renewed his call on all countries to take urgent action to prevent the commission of serious violations of international law, including crimes under international law, by parties to the conflict, and to intensify pressure on them to end the violence in Darfur, Kordofan and any other region, including taking steps to stop the supply, sale or transfer of weapons that continue to fuel the conflict.