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Eyewitness testimonies show extent of killings
Survivors of the vicious attack on Zamzam camp in North Darfur have recounted a 72-hour killing spree by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The camp, the biggest refugee settlement for those displaced by Sudan’s conflict, was the site of one of the war’s deadliest atrocities. Witnesses said mass killings, kidnappings, and random violence killed hundreds, at least possibly over 1,500 civilians.
As described by survivors, in April, the RSF attacked the camp, slaughtering men, women, and children. Families were separated, and survivors were chased into nearby areas with no food, water, or medical care. Many attempted to conceal themselves but were pulled out of temporary shelters. Whole parts of the camp were torched, rendering thousands homeless a second time.
A pattern of violence that targets
Human rights monitors indicate that the attack is part of a larger trend of targeted violence by the RSF, which has been accused of ethnically-targeted killings and war crimes throughout Darfur. The Zamzam camp attack, if confirmed as reported, would be the second-largest atrocity following the start of the conflict in April 2023.
Local relief workers have been finding it difficult to access the scene, and concerns are rising that the real extent of the massacres may be much larger than the first accounts indicate. The RSF has denied complicity in such targeted attacks, but witnesses report the group’s combatants were easy to identify by their uniforms and vehicles.
International outrage grows
The assault has elicited new outrage from international human rights groups, which are demanding swift investigations and accountability. Activists say that unless there is strong international intervention, the same massacres can and will recur, worsening Sudan’s human rights crisis.
The war in Sudan already displaced millions, causing one of the world’s biggest displacement crises. Zamzam camp had once been a tenuous sanctuary for thousands prior to the attack. It now serves as a stark reminder of the brutality of the conflict and the price of international inaction.
While the number of deaths is still being confirmed, the survivors are haunted by visions of mass graves, missing relatives, and the frantic pleas for rescue that were not heard. Their testimonies contribute to increasing proof of war crimes and highlight the compelling need for justice in Sudan.
