“Death Is Everywhere”: RSF Siege on Sudan’s Zamzam Camp Leaves Civilians Trapped in Terror
Sudan Zamzam camp attacks have ignited global concern as relentless assaults by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continue for a third consecutive day, leaving over 100 civilians dead—including children, doctors, and aid workers. The violence has devastated two major displacement camps, Zamzam and Abu Shouk, near the city of el-Fasher in Darfur.
The RSF, which claims to have taken control of Zamzam, is accused of committing atrocities and burning down sections of the camp. Though the paramilitary force denies targeting civilians, survivors and aid groups paint a harrowing picture.
“This is catastrophic,” said Mustafa, a 34-year-old camp resident, in an audio message to the BBC. He described how his uncle and cousin were killed, while others bled to death with no medical help available. “The doctors trying to reopen the hospital were also killed. The shelling hasn’t stopped. We’re surrounded.”
Zamzam, once a haven for over 700,000 displaced people, is now the epicenter of Sudan’s escalating civil war. Survivors are trapped with no access to food, healthcare, or safe passage. “Death is everywhere,” said another resident, Wasir, speaking from a trench amid shelling. “We are trying to escape, but all roads are blocked.”
Satellite imagery from Yale University confirms the devastation: arson attacks have razed large areas of the camp, especially in the center, south, and southeast. Humanitarian agencies warn this marks the worst ground-based assault on Zamzam since fighting reignited in 2024.
Relief International, the last healthcare provider in the camp, confirmed the execution-style killing of nine staff members by RSF fighters. Survivors reported the victims were dragged from a safety bunker and shot in the head and chest. “This was a targeted attack on health infrastructure,” said Kashif Shafique, the organization’s Sudan director.
International reaction has been swift and furious. The UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, expressed horror at the violence. “This is an unacceptable escalation against the most vulnerable,” she said. The US and UK also condemned the RSF’s actions, calling for immediate accountability.
The violence comes just days before the second anniversary of Sudan’s ongoing civil war—a brutal power struggle between the RSF and the national army that has displaced more than 12 million people and created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
El-Fasher remains the last stronghold of the Sudanese army in Darfur. With RSF forces laying siege for over a year, the fate of hundreds of thousands of civilians remains in peril.
As the international community watches, survivors in Zamzam continue to plead for urgent intervention. Their message is clear: the world must act—before the entire camp becomes a graveyard.
