The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have captured Zamzam camp in North Darfur after a four-day assault that displaced between 60,000 and 80,000 households—up to 400,000 people. The attack left more than 300 civilians dead, including 10 humanitarian workers from Relief International, according to preliminary UN figures.
Zamzam, once home to half a million people and now nearly doubled in population, had served as a crucial refuge for those fleeing Sudan’s ongoing civil war. Satellite images show burning buildings and widespread destruction, reinforcing warnings from rights groups about potential atrocities if the RSF breached the camp. The RSF has denied targeting civilians, claiming the camp was being used as a base for army-aligned groups, even as it released footage of its deputy commander promising aid to a small group of displaced residents.
The RSF’s offensive came shortly after the army reclaimed Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, and has coincided with increased drone attacks on army-held areas, including a strike on the Atbara power station that knocked out power in Port Sudan.
The war, which began in April 2023 as a power struggle between the RSF and the Sudanese army, has devastated the country, displaced millions, and pushed several regions into famine. With humanitarian aid efforts increasingly under attack, the fall of Zamzam underscores the escalating crisis and the dire need for international action to protect civilians and restore stability in Sudan.
