The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) deliberately killed civilians, took hostages, pillaged and destroyed mosques, schools, and health clinics during a large-scale attack in April on Zamzam, the largest camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in North Darfur State, Amnesty International said in a new report published today. These violations must be investigated as war crimes under international law.

The report, “A refuge destroyed: RSF violations in Darfur’s Zamzam camp for internally displaced persons”, documents how, between 11 and 13 April 2025, the RSF attacked the camp, deploying explosive weapons and randomly shooting their firearms in populated residential areas. The relentless assault caused around 400,000 people to flee the camp between 13 and 14 April alone and was part of the RSF’s military campaign that began in May 2024 to capture El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State. The RSF claimed control of El Fasher on 26 October, executing scores of unarmed men and raping dozens of women and girls as they captured the city.

“The RSF’s horrific and deliberate assault on desperate, hungry civilians in Zamzam camp laid bare once again its alarming disregard for human life. Civilians were ruthlessly attacked, killed, robbed of items critical to their survival and livelihood, and left without recourse to justice, while grieving the loss of their loved ones. This was not an isolated attack, but part of a sustained campaign against villages and camps for internally displaced persons,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General. “Some international partners, such as the UAE, actively fueled the armed conflict by supporting the RSF with weapons.”

The RSF’s horrific and deliberate assault on desperate, hungry civilians in Zamzam camp laid bare once again its alarming disregard for human life.

Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General

“The only way to end these violations is to stem the flow of arms to parties to the conflict by expanding the arms embargo that currently applies to Darfur to the rest of the country. The member states of the African Union, the European Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the United Kingdom, United States, Russia, and China must call for all countries, in the first place the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to refrain from transferring weapons and ammunition to the RSF, Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and other actors. In addition, given the very high risk of diversion to the RSF, states must immediately cease all arms transfers to the UAE.”

For this report, Amnesty International conducted research between June and August 2025 and interviewed 29 people, mostly eyewitnesses, survivors, relatives of victims, journalists, conflict analysts, and medical personnel who responded to those injured during the attack. The organization also verified and analysed dozens of videos, photos and satellite imagery.

The RSF did not respond to Amnesty International’s request for comment.

‘The shelling was everywhere’

Survivors of the assault told Amnesty International that, on Friday 11 April and Saturday 12 April, shells landed in homes, on streets and, in one case, near a mosque during a wedding ceremony – all densely populated areas – killing and injuring civilians and setting homes on fire.

Satellite imagery captured on 16 April and analyzed by Amnesty International showed new craters, providing further evidence of the widespread use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

The only way to end these violations is to stem the flow of arms to parties to the conflict by expanding the arms embargo that currently applies to Darfur to the rest of the country.

Agnès Callamard

Survivors gave harrowing accounts of fleeing burning neighbourhoods and hiding from heavy fighting. Younis*, an emergency room volunteer, said: “It was really bad. You could not identify where the shelling is coming from. It was everywhere, in every place.”

Mamoun*, a man in his mid-twenties who volunteered to distribute humanitarian aid, recalled: “[RSF] fighters were just shouting and shooting anywhere, so that is how many people were killed.”

[RSF] fighters were just shouting and shooting anywhere, so that is how many people were killed.

Mamoun*, Eyewitness

Sadya*, a volunteer for non-governmental organizations, described RSF fighters driving through her neighbourhood, not far from the main market in Zamzam, on 12 April: “One [RSF fighter] will stand up through a small roof and just shoot around and shoot anyone in the street.”

Shooting in such a manner without a specific military target may constitute an indiscriminate attack, a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

Amnesty International also documented RSF fighters deliberately shooting and killing civilians. Eyewitnesses told Amnesty International that they saw RSF fighters shoot and kill 47 civilians who were hiding in homes, fleeing the violence, at a clinic and seeking refuge in a mosque. The deliberate killing of individuals who do not participate or are no longer directly participating in hostilities is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and constitutes the war crime of murder.

Eyewitness accounts and video evidence demonstrate that the RSF targeted civilians due to their perceived affiliation to the Joint Forces – an alliance of former Darfur rebel groups, fighting alongside the SAF – and the SAF. RSF fighters also pillaged and set fire to homes, businesses, the market and structures in the compound of the Sheikh Farah school and mosque, destroying or badly damaging critical civilian infrastructure. Religious, medical, and educational infrastructure are ? is protected under international law.

The displaced persons interviewed by Amnesty described making arduous journeys in search of safety without food, water and medical services. Some experienced acts that may amount to the war crimes of rape, murder and pillage.

Without food, water, healthcare services or legal redress, the survivors of the attacks have felt abandoned by international actors. They told Amnesty International that their priorities are humanitarian aid, safety and the protection of civilians. They also called for criminal accountability and compensation for the crimes committed during and in the aftermath of the attack.

Elnor*, who witnessed around 15 armed men, likely RSF fighters, storm his compound and shoot and kill his 80-year-old brother and 30-year-old nephew, said: “No-one is concerned with our situation.”

* Names have been changed to protect identities of interviewees for security and confidentiality reasons.

The post Sudan: Rapid Support Forces’ ruthless attack on Zamzam camp should be investigated for war crimes appeared first on Amnesty International.

live off the land
and die for it

Understanding and acting against violence
between herders and farmers in Chad

read the entire report now

© Amnesty International

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A crisis ignored for too long

In Chad, families are grieving, villages are burned, and thousands of people are living in fear.

Clashes between herders and farmers continue to increase, fuelled by the effects of climate change, pressure on natural resources, and the proliferation of weapons.

Our new report reveals serious facts: people killed, homes destroyed, abandoned populations and authorities failing in their duty to protect as well as a lack of justice for the victims

The government of Chad must act now.

And you can contribute to the change.

Sign the petition to demand immediate protection and real justice

New report: “Live off the land and die for it”

Based on two years of investigation, three field missions and more than a hundred interviews with survivors, witnesses and key actors, this report shows how impunity and inaction by the authorities fuel a cycle of reprisals.

You will find in it:

• an in-depth analysis of the causes of the conflict;
• stories of inhabitants who have lost everything;
• the direct consequences of the State’s inaction;
• Clear recommendations to protect communities.

read the entire report in english

An illustrated campaign: understanding the crisis through 2D animation

To make visible the realities experienced by the affected communities, we produced a three-minute 2D animation.

This video recounts, in an accessible and human way, the experiences of affected families: burned villages, improvised exoduses, loss of crops, lack of support.

The 2D illustrations from this video give a symbolic face to the victims, while respecting their dignity and safety.

Act now

Between 2022 and 2024, the provinces of Moyen-Chari, Mandoul, Logone Oriental and Logone Occidental were hit by violent attacks between farmers and herders. In the cases documented by Amnesty International alone, nearly 100 people have been killed, families have been forced to flee and more than 600 homes have been burned.

Tensions are exacerbated by the scarcity of arable land and water points, climate degradation, and the uncontrolled flow of weapons.

But what makes this crisis so deadly is the inaction of the state.

In several documented cases, the security forces arrived too late. In others, they have not acted at all, leaving people unprotected during attacks.

<strong>Sign our petition to call on the government of Chad to act immediately.</strong>

Help us

Your voice can help obtain the effective protection of civilians, independent investigations into attacks, the prosecution of those responsible, as well as reparations for victims.

Your signature counts.

Your solidarity protects lives.

Share the campaign

Spread this page to share the video and the report as well as relay the petition. The more of us there are, the greater the pressure will be.

Sign the petition to demand change now

act today

Together, let make the voices of those who want to live off the land but not die for it heard.

© Amaury Hauchard/AFP via Getty Images

The post Live off the land and die for it appeared first on Amnesty International.

Responding to today’s decision by an Azerbaijani court to remand in custody prominent opposition leader Ali Karimli, following a raid on his home and his arrest by the State Security Service, Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:

“Ali Karimli’s detention is the latest outrage in the ongoing consolidation of authoritarian practices in Azerbaijan. There appear to be no limits to the government’s campaign to crush all political opposition and suppress all dissent in the country. While few are prepared to openly challenge the authorities, the decision to arrest an opposition leader, hold him incommunicado and press dubious charges of ‘attempted seizure of power’ against him, sends a chilling warning to anyone who may have doubts as to how far the Azerbaijani government is prepared to go.”

Ali Karimli’s detention is the latest outrage in the ongoing consolidation of authoritarian practices in Azerbaijan

Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

“Authorities must release Ali Karimli unless they can demonstrate reasonable evidence of an alleged criminal offence. All they have demonstrated so far, by snatching and holding him incommunicado, and thus denying him his right to a fair trial, is their determination to take this wave of politically motivated arrests targeting opposition figures, academics, journalists and activists, even further.”

Background

On 1 December, the Sabayil District Court in Baku remanded Ali Karimli, chairman of the opposition Azerbaijani Popular Front Party (APFP) in pre-trial detention for two months and 15 days, under Article 278.1 of the Criminal Code (“actions aimed at the violent seizure of power” and “violent change of the constitutional order”). Authorities have connected him to a criminal investigation against Ramiz Mehdiyev, the former head of the presidential administration, who was charged in October with attempted “seizure of power,” “high treason” and the “legalization of property obtained by criminal means.”

Ali Karimli was detained on 29 November after security agents raided his home in Baku after which he was kept incommunicado for two days. Several other APFP members were also detained following searches, including Presidium member Mammad Ibrahim who has been held incommunicado since.

These arrests come amid an intensified crackdown on dissent in Azerbaijan, where journalists, academics and opposition figures increasingly face harassment, arbitrary detention and politically motivated prosecutions.

The post Azerbaijan: Arrest of opposition leader is further evidence of consolidation of authoritarian practices appeared first on Amnesty International.

Responding to the arrest of a Hong Kong student who launched a petition demanding government accountability following a deadly fire in the city’s Tai Po district, Luk Chi-man, the Executive Director of Amnesty International Hong Kong Overseas, said:

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of residents, workers, and firefighters who tragically lost their lives in the fire, and we wish a swift recovery for all those injured.

“Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the causes of the devastating fire in Tai Po, rather than silencing those who ask legitimate questions.

“Even as we mourn, we cannot ignore the need to bring justice to the affected families as well as to prevent as much as possible the reoccurrence of similar tragedies. We urge the Hong Kong authorities to establish the full facts of last week’s tragedy through a thorough, independent, impartial and open investigation, and to publicly clarify the cause of the fire, hold relevant persons accountable and release all findings without delay.

“As part of this comprehensive investigation, the government must fully and transparently assess whether any individual or government official demonstrated regulatory negligence or failures that contributed to the tragedy. It is essential that a thorough report reviewing any systemic and policy failures connected to this incident is produced.

“It is both a right and a duty for people in Hong Kong to demand this kind of accountability; but rather than recognize this, the Hong Kong authorities have instead chosen to silence those who raise their concerns and demands.

“Freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly are human rights protected under international and Hong Kong law. The Hong Kong authorities must end the misuse of broadly defined ‘national security’ laws to target anyone – including those who engage in community-led support efforts or seek to disclose or report information in the public interest.

“A healthy society should not have only one voice. The authorities must ensure that all investigative and disaster relief efforts are conducted in a transparent and participatory manner. The initiatives of grassroots volunteers should be supported, and the views and needs of Hong Kong people must be fully taken into account.”

Background 

The Wang Fuk Court fire in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong broke out on 26 November and has claimed at least 146 lives.

On 29 November, an individual who launched a petition demanding accountability was arrested by national security authorities on suspicion of “sedition”, according to local media reports. The university student, who had urged the government to respond to “four demands” in the aftermath of the fire, was reportedly released on bail on 1 December.

Local media reported that another two people were arrested on 30 November on “sedition” charges in relation to the fire.

The post Hong Kong: Government must investigate and allow freedom of expression following deadly fire appeared first on Amnesty International.

Responding to today’s acquittal of 87 protesters on trial for their participation in mass protests which took place following the detention of Istanbul Mayor, Ekrem Imamoğlu, and yesterday’s acquittal of eight journalists and four lawyers charged in relation to the same demonstrations, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director EU, Balkans and Turkey, Dinushka Disanayake, said: 

“Whilst the acquittal of these 87 peaceful protesters, eight journalists and four lawyers is welcome, it does beg the question as to why they were put through this eight-month ordeal in the first place. 

The prosecutions of these protesters, journalists and lawyers should never have been brought

“Last March, hundreds of young people were detained and criminalized for protesting the detention and subsequent remand in pre-trial detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu. Amnesty International’s research into the policing of these mass protests found allegations of torture and other ill-treatment, including the targeting of journalists, by law enforcement officials during the demonstrations. 

“The prosecutions of these protesters, journalists and lawyers should never have been brought and the endemic misuse of the criminal justice system to crack down on dissent in Türkiye must end.” 

Background 

For information about Amnesty International’s research into the policing of the March protests see this public statement. 

Today’s decision hearing follows two previous trials which also recently ended with wholesale acquittals. 

Another hearing held today was that of 13 protesters prosecuted for ‘insulting the president’. The protesters have already spent almost three months in pre-trial detention between March and May this year. Their hearing was postponed to May 2026, with the court referring the file to be examined by the National Criminal Bureau to establish whether photographic evidence backs the claim against the individuals concerned. A lawyer representing the President was present at the hearing and requested that the court find the defendants guilty of the charge because ‘his honour had been damaged by the actions of the defendants.’ 

The post Türkiye: Misuse of criminal justice system to crack down on dissent must end following acquittal of 87 protesters, journalists and lawyers   appeared first on Amnesty International.