North Darfur: The RSF launches a new wave of attacks on besieged El Fasher, targeting the AbuShook IDP Camp, causing several deaths and injuries, and displacing thousands of civilians.

Photo Credit: Reuters

The African Center for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) is deeply alarmed by the brutal attack on the vulnerable population in El Fasher, North Darfur. We reiterate our calls to the warring parties to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of civilians and refrain from attacking IDP camps. We further call upon the warring parties to allow access for humanitarian aid in and around the city, particularly the much-needed delivery of food, water, medicine, and other life-saving supplies, underscoring that those trapped are facing acute hunger and starvation.

On August 11, 2025, the Rapid Support Force (RSF) launched a new series of attacks on El-Fasher city. According to reliable sources on the ground, the attack lasted at least seven hours, with RSF launching strikes from three directions, i.e., Northern, Eastern, and South-East. This makes it 227 attacks on El-Fasher since April 15, 2023. ACJPS was reliably informed that at least 500 military vehicles were used in the attack. The attack from the northern direction targeted Abu Shook displacement camp, resulting in the deaths of at least 40 IDPs and injuries to 19 others. Tens of civilians in the surrounding safe neighborhoods were also killed. 

Meanwhile, 90% of health facilities are out of service, thus some of the wounded succumbed to injuries. After the attack, Donkey carts, which have become the primary means of transport, were used as a rescue for the injured. 

Despite calls by Dr. Alhadi Idris, chairperson of the Sudan Liberation Army Movement / Transition Council (SLAM/TC), and Eltahir Hajar, chairperson of the Sudan Liberation Army Movement / Liberation Front (SLAM/LF), urging civilians to leave El-Fasher for their safety, civilians in El-Fasher continue their daily routines amid ongoing famine and insecurity. Notably, both Idris and Hajar are members and leaders in the Tasis Alliance and former members of the Sudanese Transitional Sovereign Council.

Between August 12 and 24, 2025, at least 84 civilians are believed to have been killed, according to a trusted source to ACJPS. Sadly, on August 12 and 13, more civilians lost their lives during RSF attacks on El-Fasher.

Below are the names of people killed in Abu Shook camp during the 11 August attack:

• Mohamed Suliman Yagoup, (m) aged 62. A resident of Plot 10, Center 9.
• Abdul Azim Abdallah Ahmed, (m), aged 22. A resident of Plot 9, Center 9.
•  Killed at the Mosque Eman in Abu Shook IDP camp.
• Adam Mohamed Yahya, (m) aged 35, from Plot 12, Center 12.
• Akram Daoud, (m) aged 25. A resident of Plot 12, Center 10
• Eldoma Mohamed Mohamed Ahmed, (m) aged 70 from Plot 15, Center 12.
• Ahmed Abdul Tahir Mohamed, (m) aged 38. A resident of Plot 7, Center 13.
• Hawa Ahmed Ibrahim, (f) aged 55. A resident of Plot 18, Center 5.
• Ali Mohamed, (m) aged 30 from Plot 18, Center 5.
• Ali Adam Abdallah, (m) aged 18 from Center 5.
• Hajrah Adam Adam, (f) aged 50 from Plot 28, Center 10.
• Mohamed Idris Shomo, (m) aged 42 from Plot 24, Center 9.
• Adil, aged 26, from Plot 26, Center 5.
• Yahya Adam Arbab, (m) aged 55, from Plot 25, Center 5.
• Adam Zakarya Adam Haroum, (m) 45, from Plot 5, Center 8.
• Abdallah Osman Adam, (m) aged 40, from Plot 4, Center 7.
• Eltyeb Osman (m), Plot 19, Center 13.
• Nadia Hassan Adam (f), Plot 12, Center 7.
• Masrora Omer Ahmed (f), aged 35.
• Husa Ibrahim Abdul Aziz (f), aged 24.
• Salih Yahiya Durje (m).
• Ayman Ajani Yahiya Ali (m).
• Dejah Yahiya Ali (m).
• Mohamed Abakar Kazeem (m).
• Sidiq Hussein Hazeem (m).
• Ishaq Tambokah Baraka (m).
• Mohamed Adam Salih.
• Ahmed Ismail (m).
• Salih Zukan, also known as Brshalona (m).
• Salih Wada Hassab (m).
• Mubarak Abdallah Hassab Alnabi.
• Ibrahim (m).
• Mandi Yahiya Mohamed Habib (m).
• Alnazeer Yagoup Khatir (m).
• Idris Youssif, known as Shirir (m).
• Ayman Tijani Yahiya (m).

Names of some victims who were injured:

• Abdallah Salih Khatir Durje, known as Deli (m).
• Abdallah Malik Ibrahim Ahmed (m). Farah Alfaki Musa (m).
• Mubarak Mohamed Abdul Jabar Gabgab (m).

People arrested by RSF as they approached the camp border:

• Osman Ibrahim Ahmed Jazeem (m).
• Nasur Azeeb Tahir (m).
• Abdallah Ibrahim Hamdoon (m).
• Abdul Jabaar Daoud (m), Plot 18, Center 8. He worked as a security guard at the local initiative for drinking water called Sadagah.
• Mohamed Ibrahim Adam Gabosh (m).
• Ahmed Hussein Obid (m).

Other developments

On August 11, 2025, an open-source video on social media shows an RSF officer named Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris, nicknamed Abu Lulu. ACJPS confirmed through reliable sources that he is a Brigadier General in RSF. He was filmed while arresting a civilian from El-Fasher in the Pushy area. The civilian/victim, Ahmed Mohamed Abakar, also known as Bonch (m), approximately 58 years old, was shot six times while sitting on the ground and died instantly. Mr. Ahmed owned a restaurant in Hajar Qaddo Market, part of Elfasher Market. The incident has sparked online tension among RSF officers. Mohamed Elfatih, known as Yajoj and Majoj, condemned the incident, while other RSF affiliates on social media disagreed with them. Some even attacked Yajoj and Majoj online due to their differing positions. A trusted source shared with ACJPS that Abu Lulu uploaded the video himself to social media, where he is said to have admitted to carrying out similar extra-judicial killings in Aljazeera State and the Umsemima area of Kordofan.

Another incident occurred on August 20 and 21, 2025, in the Garni area, located about 18 kilometers north of El-Fasher. RSF members brutally beat two youth groups fleeing from El-Fasher, forcing them to dance and shout, "Himidte is the president." Garni serves as a first stop for those fleeing El-Fasher, and there are troops from RSF and SLAM/TC operating there, tasked with transporting fleeing civilians to their next destination for a fee.

Background

Between January and June 2025, the RSF, which has been fighting SAF for over two years, has attacked the Abu Shouk camp at least 16 times. According to the UN reports, at least 212 IDPs have been killed and 111 others injured.

Amidst the current escalation of violence in and around El Fasher, there are also reports that exit routes from the city have been blocked and civilians are trapped under siege, cut off from safety and aid. Since 01 August 2025, at least 65 people, including 19 children, have died of hunger in El-Fasher due to the ongoing siege by RSF.