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Relentless Attacks Plague Darfur Displacement Camp Amid Sudan Conflict
El-Fasher, Darfur, Sudan – Intense attacks targeting a camp sheltering hundreds of thousands of individuals displaced by the ongoing civil war in Sudan have persisted for a third day, residents reported to the BBC. The Zamzam camp, near El Fasher, has become the focal point of escalating violence, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region.
One resident within Zamzam described the circumstances as “utterly catastrophic,” while another characterized the situation as “critical.”
According to the United Nations, over 100 civilians, including at least 20 children and a medical team, have perished in a series of assaults that commenced late last week in Sudan’s western Darfur region.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been attributed to the attacks on el-Fasher city and the adjacent camps. However, the RSF has denied these accusations, dismissing reports of atrocities as fabricated.
Civilians Endure Famine-Like Conditions as Attacks Intensify
Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps provide temporary refuge for over 700,000 individuals, many of whom are already grappling with famine-like conditions. The recent escalation in violence further jeopardizes their precarious existence.
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News of these attacks surfaces on the eve of the second anniversary of the civil war’s commencement between the RSF and the Sudanese army.
Contacting the BBC on Sunday morning, a Zamzam resident employed at a community kitchen providing sustenance within the camp recounted the loss of “a significant number of young people.”
“Those who were serving in the communal kitchen have been killed, along with doctors involved in the initiative to reopen the hospital,” stated Mustafa, 34, in a WhatsApp audio message.
“My uncle and my cousin are dead. Many people are injured, and there is no medication or functioning hospital to treat them—they are succumbing to blood loss.”
“The shelling continues unabated, and we anticipate further assaults this morning.”
He further added that all exit routes from the camp were blocked, stating it was “encircled from all sides.”
“Death is Everywhere” – Residents Detail Zamzam Camp’s Desperate State
Another resident, Wasir, conveyed that “nothing remains in Zamzam.”
“A vast number of civilians have fled, and we are still attempting to escape, but we have been unsuccessful. All roads are impassable, and we have children with us.”
“Death is ubiquitous. Even as I communicate with you now from inside a trench, shelling persists.”
Ibrahim Khater, North Darfur’s Health Minister, indicated that some camp residents have managed to escape and reach el-Fasher, located 15km away.
“I am witnessing numerous individuals walking from Zamzam – predominantly children, women, and the elderly,” he reported in a message to the BBC.
“Some were injured, exhausted, and reported losing family members – deceased in the streets. The situation is catastrophic.”
International Community Condemns Escalating Violence
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, expressed being “appalled and deeply alarmed” by the reports emanating from Darfur.
“This constitutes yet another lethal and unacceptable escalation in a series of brutal attacks directed at displaced persons and aid workers,” she affirmed in a public statement.
The US State Department echoed these concerns, stating it was “deeply alarmed by reports of attacks by the RSF on Zamzam and Abu Shouk,” further adding: “We denounce the RSF’s attacks on the most vulnerable civilians.”
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, set to host a conference on Sudan on Tuesday, described the reports of “indiscriminate RSF attacks” as “shocking.”
Aid Workers Among Victims in Alleged Targeted Assaults
Relief International, an aid organization, reported that nine of its personnel “were mercilessly killed, including physicians, referral drivers, and a team leader” in the Zamzam attack.
The charity, identifying itself as the last provider of essential health services within the camp, alleged RSF fighters were responsible.
“We believe this was a deliberate assault on all health infrastructure in the region, designed to impede healthcare access for internally displaced people.”
“We are horrified that one of our clinics was also targeted in this attack—along with other health facilities in el-Fasher.”
Kashif Shafique, Relief International’s Sudan director, informed the BBC’s Newshour program that the events were not random occurrences.
Relaying accounts from two surviving female staff members, he stated that RSF fighters entered a secure bunker and fatally shot the nine victims in the head and chest.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the RSF denied responsibility for civilian attacks, asserting that scenes of killings in Zamzam were staged to discredit their forces.
Satellite Analysis Confirms Extensive Damage
A team of specialists at Yale University in the US, assessing satellite imagery, stated on Friday that “this attack conservatively represents the most significant ground-based assault on Zamzam… since fighting erupted in the el-Fasher area in spring 2024.”
The Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab observed that “arson attacks have incinerated numerous structures and substantial areas of the camp in the central, southern, and southeastern sectors of the camp.”
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amidst Sudan Conflict
The ongoing conflict, a power struggle between the army and the RSF, has precipitated the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, displacing over 12 million people and pushing communities into famine.
The war commenced on April 15, 2023, following a fallout between the leaders of the army and RSF concerning the country’s political future.
El-Fasher remains the last major town in Darfur under army control and has been under RSF siege for a year, further highlighting the escalating crisis in Sudan and the urgent need for humanitarian intervention.