Edith Hejberg
A devastating attack on Sudan’s largest displacement camp may have killed more than 1,500 civilians, according to new findings.
The April assault on Zamzam camp in North Darfur is now being called one of the deadliest atrocities of the ongoing war, second only to a massacre in West Darfur in 2023.
RSF Accused of Systematic Killings Over 72 Hours
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a 72-hour offensive on Zamzam between 11 and 14 April.
Survivors described mass executions and abductions, with entire families targeted. A local committee has confirmed at least 1,500 dead so far, many bodies still lie unrecovered.
The Human Toll: Unprecedented Loss in Every Family
A veteran atrocities investigator told the Guardian that nearly every survivor had lost close relatives. “That’s something I’ve never seen before,” they said, underscoring the scale of the carnage. Many believe the true death toll could approach 2,000.
A Camp Long Seen as a Safe Haven Turned to Ashes
Zamzam had served as a refuge for displaced people for over two decades. That legacy ended in April as thousands were either killed, abducted, or forced to flee.
The RSF now controls the camp, leaving survivors with little hope of returning home safely.
London Peace Conference Overshadowed by Massacre
The timing of the assault was especially grim—coming just before a UK-led peace conference in London.
Activists and diaspora groups argue that the international community has failed to respond with the urgency such a humanitarian disaster demands.
Women Abducted, Communities Torn Apart
Among the most chilling details are reports of mass abductions, particularly of women.
More than 20 women are believed to have been taken to Nyala, an RSF stronghold. Many remain missing, and fears of sexual violence and human trafficking are high.
MSF: Survivors Face ‘Appalling’ Conditions
Médecins Sans Frontières has warned that those who survived the Zamzam attack now face horrific conditions.
Claire Nicolet of MSF said civilians endured looting, rape, and attacks during flight. Transit camps offer little in the way of safety or shelter.
Missing Civilians Number in the Thousands
According to the UK’s Darfur Diaspora Association, more than 4,500 of its members report knowing someone killed in the assault.
At least 2,000 residents of Zamzam remain unaccounted for, either dead, abducted, or scattered across Sudan’s war-torn landscape.
ICC: Strong Grounds to Investigate War Crimes
The International Criminal Court recently stated it had “reasonable grounds” to believe war crimes and crimes against humanity are occurring in Darfur.
The RSF and allied militias are being scrutinised for their actions in Zamzam and elsewhere.
A Pattern of Ethnic Violence Returns to Darfur
The Zamzam massacre is just one chapter in a broader campaign of violence. In West Darfur’s capital, Geneina, over 10,000, mainly from non-Arab ethnic groups, were killed last year.
With both the RSF and Sudanese military accused of atrocities, justice remains elusive.
