February 11, 2005 (EL FASHER) – The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a violent attack on the Zamzam camp in North Darfur on Tuesday, committing widespread abuses against displaced people and forcing thousands to flee towards the city of El Fasher. Since the beginning of December, the RSF has targeted the camp, located about 12 kilometres southwest of El Fasher, with heavy artillery fire, killing dozens of displaced people and forcing thousands to flee. The RSF justifies its targeting of the camp, which is facing famine and shelters nearly two million displaced people, by claiming that the Joint Force withdrew from El Fasher into the camp and used the displaced as human shields. The Joint Force vehemently denies this claim. The governor of the Darfur region, Minni Arko Minawi, said in a Facebook post that “The RSF militia violated Zamzam camp.” He strongly condemned the attack, calling on the United Nations and the African Union to demand that countries support what he called to stop terrorism and genocide. Eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune that a large RSF force infiltrated deep into Zamzam camp from the areas of Golo, Shaqra, and Saluma, opening fire randomly on gatherings of displaced people. They reported …

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