Thousands of families have been forced to flee Sudan’s Zamzam camp in North Darfur after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control following intense fighting. Between 60,000 and 80,000 households, representing up to 400,000 people, have been displaced from the camp, according to the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration.
The RSF launched a four-day assault that culminated in the capture of Zamzam on Sunday, leaving hundreds of people dead or wounded. Local sources reported that over 300 civilians were killed in the violence that took place on Friday and Saturday around the camp, the neighboring Abu Shouk displacement camp, and al-Fashir, a key town in North Darfur. Tragically, 10 humanitarian workers from Relief International were also killed while working in one of the camp’s last operating health centers.
Humanitarian organizations had long warned that the RSF’s siege of the camp could lead to dire consequences, including the potential for mass atrocities. Satellite images from Maxar Technologies confirmed the devastation, showing burning buildings and rising smoke in Zamzam on Friday, a pattern consistent with previous RSF attacks.
The RSF, however, has denied the accusations, claiming that the camp was being used as a base for army-aligned forces. The camp, which once housed around half a million people at the start of the war, is believed to have since seen its population double.
In a recent video, Abdelrahim Dagalo, the RSF’s second-in-command, promised the displaced people food, water, medical aid, and the eventual return to their homes. The RSF’s push to take control of the camp intensified after the Sudanese army regained Khartoum, solidifying its hold on central Sudan.
In addition to its attacks in Darfur, the RSF has also escalated drone strikes on army-held areas, including a Monday attack on the Atbara power station in northern Sudan, which resulted in a power outage in Port Sudan, the wartime capital.
The conflict, ignited in April 2023 by a power struggle between the Sudanese army and the RSF, has displaced millions, disrupted daily life, and triggered widespread famine.
