Sudanese Rapid Support Forces commit atrocities in Zamzam camp

In a brutal assault on the Zamzam camp in Sudan, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) invaded and caused severe harm to its inhabitants. This occurred after the RSF had imposed a siege on the camp in spring 2024 while advancing towards el-Fasher, a stronghold of the Sudanese military. Reports indicate that the RSF fighters executed men and women in the streets and inflicted severe physical harm on others, including beatings and torture. Additionally, numerous women and girls reported incidents of rape and sexual assault during the attack. The assault, which took place in early April 2024, highlights the ongoing violence in Darfur amid a two-year conflict. Although the RSF has faced military setbacks in other regions, the brutality against civilians continues. Bakheit, a local resident, recounted that the children cried out in fear as the RSF fighters approached, referring to them as the 'janjaweed', a notorious term for militias involved in severe violence against civilians. The RSF claimed that the operation was meant to secure civilians and humanitarian workers, denying allegations of targeting innocent people. Eyewitnesses described seeing houses ablaze, the main market destroyed, and numerous bodies lying in the streets. A local aid worker mentioned that, during the chaos, at least 23 individuals, primarily young students at a religious school, were killed. By mid-April 2024, the number of people remaining in Zamzam camp dramatically decreased to approximately 2,100, as many fled the area amidst the chaos. The aftermath of the attack revealed the harsh reality of life in the camp, with many survivors suffering from starvation and dehydration after the siege. This horrific incident underscores the urgent need for international attention and intervention to protect civilians in regions affected by the conflict in Sudan.