Mass Displacement from El Fasher: Civilians Trapped Between Attacks and Being Used as Human Shields

In yet another escalation of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, over 300,000 people have fled El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, within just 20 days. The mass exodus toward the town of Tawila and surrounding areas comes amid intensified attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias targeting civilian neighborhoods and displaced persons camps.

Civilians Under Fire

The RSF has been accused of committing grave violations against civilians, including indiscriminate shelling and ethnically motivated killings. In one of the most horrific incidents, more than 400 people—many of them women and children—were reportedly killed during an RSF-led assault on the Zamzam displacement camp that began on April 11, 2025. Eyewitnesses described the use of heavy weaponry and direct attacks on unarmed civilians, prompting nearly half the camp’s population to flee on foot toward El Fasher and Tawila.

Army’s Use of Civilians as Human Shields

While the RSF’s actions have drawn widespread condemnation, the Sudanese Armed Forces are also facing serious accusations. Reports indicate that the army has been embedding its positions within civilian areas and displacement camps, effectively using the population as human shields. This tactic places civilians at even greater risk, turning homes and shelters into frontlines and complicating humanitarian access.

Growing Humanitarian Catastrophe

The massive influx of displaced people into Tawila has overwhelmed the area’s already strained infrastructure. Medical services, food supplies, and clean water are critically scarce, and humanitarian organizations warn of a looming catastrophe if aid is not urgently scaled up. Makeshift shelters are overcrowded, and basic health needs remain unmet as more families arrive daily.

International Urgency and Calls for Action

Human rights organizations and international observers are calling for an immediate investigation into the violations committed by all parties to the conflict. There are also renewed demands to protect civilians, ensure safe corridors for evacuation, and prevent the use of human shields—an act deemed a war crime under international law.

As the conflict in Sudan grinds on, it is clear that civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence. Without decisive international intervention, the human cost of this war will only continue to rise.