The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented a dangerous escalation in grave violations committed against civilians in the Karnoi area of North Darfur State, where the Karnoi Emergency Room announced on Friday, 2 January 2025, that more than 300 people had been killed on an ethnic basis during clashes that took place in recent days.
According to the Emergency Room’s statement, these crimes occurred during the attacks that struck Karnoi and Abu Gamra, prior to the joint forces aligned with the Sudanese Army regaining full control of both areas on 30 December, following several days of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) control.
The Emergency Room confirmed that the violations extended beyond mass killings to include the kidnapping of dozens of civilians and demanding ransom for their release, as well as widespread looting and theft of civilian property—including items belonging to women and children—further exacerbating the suffering of residents and displaced people.
It also stated that the humanitarian situation in Karnoi and nearby areas has deteriorated to catastrophic levels, with both residents and internally displaced persons suffering from acute shortages of food, water, healthcare, and shelter, along with the near‑complete absence of basic necessities for survival.
According to the statement, RSF forces mobilized affiliated militias that carried out widespread violations with no regard for basic humanitarian conduct, in clear violation of international customs and international humanitarian law, and in direct contradiction to relevant UN and Human Rights Council resolutions.
The Karnoi Emergency Room appealed to the international community and regional and international organizations to exert urgent and effective pressure on the RSF to immediately halt the violations, ensure the protection and safety of civilians and displaced populations, and prevent further risks and threats to their lives.
Meanwhile, previous statements by leaders of the joint forces confirmed that the areas seized by the RSF in North Darfur were purely civilian villages and residential zones with no military presence, and that the attacks targeted civilians based on social and ethnic identity, resulting in large‑scale atrocities.
CFJ noted that these incidents fall within a recurring pattern of widespread violations against civilians in the Darfur region, recalling previous international statements—including U.S. accusations—holding the RSF responsible for atrocities committed against civilian populations.
CFJ holds the Rapid Support Forces fully responsible for the crimes committed in Karnoi and North Darfur, and calls for an independent international investigation into these violations, accountability for those responsible, unhindered access for humanitarian aid, and urgent measures to protect civilians and halt ethnically motivated crimes.
