In brief
A recent assault on the Zamzam camp in North Darfur has sparked outrage, as paramilitary fighters are alleged to have committed acts of violence amidst a growing famine crisis.
The Zamzam camp, which houses approximately 500,000 displaced individuals, is reeling from a recent invasion by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that devastated the site. According to local refugee organizations, the RSF stormed the camp, resulting in extensive looting and fires that engulfed the marketplace and numerous homes. This attack marks a significant escalation, intensifying the already dire humanitarian conditions that have existed in the camp following sustained artillery bombardment since late last year.An eyewitness confirmed the severity of the situation, stating that casualties were witnessed, yet the camp's medical facilities have become critically depleted, with the hospital lacking functional surgical capabilities. The nearby city of el-Fasher, already under siege by RSF forces, remains one of the last strongholds for the Sudanese army amid the ongoing civil conflict initiated in 2023.While the Sudanese IDPs and Refugees Bloc reported the camp's invasion on Tuesday, RSF representatives refuted these claims. They asserted that their focus was instead on taking control of a nearby military base linked to an opposing armed group, which had previously targeted RSF checkpoints.In light of the attack, local officials lamented the plight of the injured, who were unable to access vital medical treatment because RSF fighters continued to obstruct roadways leading to el-Fasher. North Darfur's Health Minister, Ibrahim Abdullah Khater, noted that the displaced population was suffering tremendously.The humanitarian crisis in Zamzam worsened significantly after relentless artillery attacks, which are reportedly linked to the RSF's aggressive tactics. A coalition of international NGOs condemned the escalating violence, asserting that there are now virtually no safe areas for displaced persons in North Darfur, an alarming reality that highlights the deteriorating security situation.With the siege of el-Fasher already one year in, the city remains the only location in Darfur firmly under army control, amid accusations that the RSF has engaged in ethnic cleansing against non-Arab communities during the conflict.
