Zamzam, a sprawling displacement camp in Sudan‘s Darfur region, has recently become the site of one of the most harrowing atrocities amid an ongoing conflict. The camp hosts 500,000 displaced residents, the majority women and children. It was initially intended to serve as a refuge for ethnic African tribes fleeing violence directed by Arab militias. These militias eventually gave rise to today’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The vicious three-day raid on the Zamzam camp has drawn widespread condemnation across the world. It has become a troubling leader for raising serious concerns about its vulnerable population of people who call it home.
When we arrived early on the morning of April 11, Hanadi Dawood’s clinic in Zamzam was already packed. The clinic had been the only remaining operational international facility in the region. Relief International managed it until the town was besieged. Witnesses told us that RSF combatants raided the clinic’s compound. They proceeded to the next-door Sheikh Farah Quranic school and broke through the gates in four Toyota Hilux pickup trucks.
This quickly devolved into the RSF launching an unprecedented killing spree that shocked the residents of Darfur and would etch permanent scars on the population. Eyewitness accounts of the attacks describe a horrific scene with houses belonging to the ethnic Zaghawa tribe set on fire. Thousands of residents were left literally defenseless against the savage attack.
The Attack on Zamzam
The attack on the Zamzam is the latest episode of violence in what has been a long history of violence in Sudan. Residents were horrified as RSF forces began their ground slaughter by assembling on three sides of the camp. According to news reports, over 2,000 people possibly lost their lives in this terrible tragedy. A military-run committee set up to contest the casualties has confirmed more than 1,500 known deaths.
As described by witnesses, it was a place of fear, pain, and hopelessness. One survivor recounted, “The others were told to lie on their backs. They were killed.” One of the foremost experts on Darfur atrocities, Dr. Especially, it focuses its efforts to help those most vulnerable communities who are trapped in Sudan’s continuing war.
Though warfare continues, international work to bring a ceasefire and peace to Sudan is in progress. The attack was timed just before a London conference pledging to provide support for tackling the crisis. Critics say that leaderships haven’t heard calls to prioritize later meetings towards urgent humanitarian crises such as that developing in Zamzam.
International Response and Condemnation
In the wake of the violence in Zamzam, on April 17 the UN Security Council denounced the “recurrent assaults.” Many international watchers are of the opinion that such reactions are not enough for a crisis of such magnitude. Nathaniel Raymond from Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab stated, “We made concerted efforts to warn the international community that a full-scale assault on Zamzam was both imminent and inevitable.”
Additionally, there is some hostility over the way that leaders abroad have interacted with the conflict. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has come under fire for not doing enough to prioritize Sudan in the lead-up to these important diplomatic talks. As one source pointed out, “Zamzam obviously framed the conference. Were they deliberately trying to ignore it?” Many of those experts argue that Lammy should have used his meeting to apply pressure on his Emirati counterpart to stop the war crimes that slaughter civilians.
“Ultimately – by pen and by sword – the RSF was doing its thing in Zamzam while the UAE did its thing in London. Both components were working to keep a genocidal project going.” – A prominent human rights analyst.
The Human Toll and Future Implications
The human impact of the attack on Zamzam cannot be overstated. With a population mostly made up of women and children, most residents were left completely defenseless during the attack. Hanadi Dawood, who bravely stood her ground amid the chaos, said, “Die with honour. I will be here until the end.” Her commitment is a testament to her profound dedication to her patients. It points to the resiliency of those enduring unbearable hardships.
The impacts of this tragedy reach far beyond Zamzam. As the situation continues to unfold under analysis from experts, civilian and military leaders invoke accountability for those responsible and action by international powers is warranted. A senior UN official reiterated this, saying that “there was a moral obligation for the London conference to [end the siege].”