In brief
The Zamzam camp in Sudan is experiencing relentless attacks linked to the ongoing civil war, resulting in over 100 civilian deaths, including children. Amid famine-like conditions, residents face a dire humanitarian crisis as aid workers are targeted and medical infrastructure is destroyed.
Residents of Zamzam camp, a temporary refuge for over 700,000 people fleeing the civil war in Sudan, face extreme peril as violent attacks continue for the third consecutive day. Conditions in the camp are described as "catastrophic," reflecting the dire state of food and medical supplies. The latest reports indicate at least 100 civilian deaths, including more than 20 children, following assaults attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, expressed her deep concern, labeling the situation "unacceptable" and condemning the attacks on displaced people and aid workers. At least nine employees from Relief International, including vital medical personnel, have reportedly been killed, and the charity suggested that these actions were aimed at crippling access to health services in the region.Many residents have shared harrowing stories of loss, describing how their loved ones have been killed in targeted assaults against community initiatives and medical clinics. One resident, speaking from the camp under ongoing shelling, lamented that "nothing is left" and that all escape routes are blocked. The lack of medical supplies and food exacerbates the suffering, with pleas for help echoing through the community.Satellite imagery assessed by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab indicates significant destruction in Zamzam, with many structures reduced to ashes. The civil war, sparked by a power struggle between the army and RSF since April 2023, has evolved into the world's largest humanitarian crisis, displacing over 12 million people and pushing countless communities into famine.El-Fasher, the major town under army control, is now encircled by RSF forces, marking it as one of the critical hot spots of violence in the region. As attacks continue and humanitarian conditions deteriorate, families in Zamzam camp are left with few options for survival as they navigate through fear and uncertainty.
