Khartoum: Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on Sunday that it had taken control of the Zamzam camp for displaced people in North Darfur following a four-day assault that, according to the government and humanitarian organizations, left hundreds dead or injured.
The Zamzam camp, along with the nearby Abu Shouk camp, shelters around 700,000 people displaced by ongoing conflict in Sudan. Humanitarian groups reported that the assault caused widespread destruction to shelters, markets, and healthcare facilities, further worsening the crisis for vulnerable civilians.
The RSF claimed it targeted what it referred to as “mercenary factions” allegedly operating from the camp. However, aid agencies condemned the attack as deliberate aggression against civilians—including women, children, and the elderly—who are already on the brink of famine.
The Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), a Darfuri militia allied with the national army, has been engaged in clashes with the RSF in and around the city of al-Fashir, located approximately 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) from the Zamzam camp. The SLA is reportedly receiving support from other local armed groups in the battle.
As fighting escalated, tens of thousands of displaced residents fled the camp on foot toward al-Fashir, SLA spokesperson El-Sadiq Ali El-Nour said on Sunday. Many of the newly displaced are now sleeping in the open, lacking basic necessities such as food, clean water, and medical care.
Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur, also came under intense shelling and RSF ground assaults over the weekend, according to the SLA. In a public statement, the group urged Sudan’s armed forces and allied militias to provide urgent reinforcements.
“The leadership of the armed forces must act swiftly to save the lives of approximately 1.5 million people in al-Fashir urgently,” the SLA said. “Darfur must not fight alone.”
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The RSF has denied targeting civilians and, on Saturday, accused its adversaries of staging fake media scenes within the camp using actors to tarnish its image. The following day, it claimed to have facilitated voluntary evacuations for families fleeing al-Fashir and surrounding areas, and expressed readiness to cooperate with humanitarian agencies to address the worsening conditions.
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The war in Sudan began in April 2023, triggered by a fierce power struggle between the national army and the RSF. The conflict has derailed the country’s democratic transition and displaced millions, with regions like Darfur suffering some of the most severe devastation. The RSF, once a government-aligned force, is now fighting to retain its grip on territories in the west, even as the army pushes forward in Khartoum and other strategic locations.
