In Sudan, violence, hunger and death haunt displaced families at every turn

A Survivor’s Story: Fleeing Zamzam Camp Amidst War and Devastation

Sarah, a 22-year-old literature student, has endured unimaginable hardships throughout her life. Growing up in Sudan’s Zamzam camp, she has survived famine, multiple wars, and years of displacement. Yet, despite all these challenges, she never considered fleeing—until now. The recent paramilitary attack on Zamzam camp, carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), turned the camp into a “killing field,” forcing Sarah and her family to make the desperation-filled decision to leave. The camp, located in the Darfur region, has been a fragile refuge for hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom have lived there for decades. But the latest escalation of violence has shattered any sense of safety, leaving Sarah and countless others no choice but to flee for their lives.

The Attack on Zamzam Camp: A Descent into Chaos

The attack on Zamzam camp began last week with shelling and gunfire echoing through the streets. The RSF, which has been at war with the Sudanese army for nearly two years, stormed the camp with brutal force. Sarah described the horror she witnessed to AFP: “Bombs were falling on houses. There were bodies on the street. There was no way we could stay.” The camp, already overwhelmed by famine and overcrowding, was quickly transformed into a battleground. Witnesses reported that the RSF set fire to the camp’s main market, and satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies revealed heavy damage and entire buildings razed, particularly at the eastern entrance where clashes between the RSF and army-allied militias occurred.

The Perilous Journey to Tawila: Seeking Safety in a Hunger-Stricken Town

Faced with the impossibility of staying in Zamzam, Sarah and her family of 10 embarked on a terrifying journey to the town of Tawila, about 60 kilometers west of the camp. The trip took days, and the risks were ever-present. “People were robbed and attacked on the road. One young man was killed,” Sarah recounted. Despite the dangers, they had no choice but to flee, joining hundreds of other families seeking refuge in Tawila. The town, however, is hardly a haven. It is itself hunger-ridden and largely cut off from humanitarian aid and media access, leaving those who arrive there in a precarious state.

Zamzam Camp: A History of Displacement and Suffering

Zamzam camp has been a focal point of displacement in Darfur since the region descended into war in 2003. Originally established to provide shelter for those fleeing violence, the camp has grown into a sprawling settlement housing approximately 500,000 people. Since the conflict escalated in April 2023, the camp has swelled further, with aid groups estimating that its population may now be close to one million. For many, Zamzam has been home for two decades, ever since the Janjaweed militia—now rebranded as the RSF—began attacking farming communities in Darfur on behalf of then-President Omar al-Bashir. The camp was the first place in Sudan where famine was declared last August under a United Nations-backed assessment, underscoring the severe humanitarian crisis unfolding there.

Eyewitness Accounts and Evidence of Devastation

The attack on Zamzam camp has left a trail of destruction in its wake. Satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies revealed significant damage, with entire buildings reduced to rubble and fires burning unchecked. Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab, which analyzed the imagery, concluded that the arson attacks and structural damage were “consistent with intentional razing in a ground attack.” Eyewitness accounts from within the camp paint an even more harrowing picture. The Darfur General Coordination of Camps for the Displaced and Refugees described the scene as “streets turned into killing fields full of blood and body parts… fires have engulfed homes and screams mix with the sound of bullets.”

A Bleak Future: The Ongoing Crisis in Darfur

The recent attack on Zamzam camp is the latest chapter in a long and tragic history of violence and displacement in Darfur. For Sarah and her family, the journey to Tawila represents a fragile hope for safety, but the town’s limited resources and isolation from aid leave them in a dire situation. As the conflict between the RSF and the army continues to escalate, the humanitarian crisis in Sudan is likely to deepen further. Zamzam camp, once a symbol of resilience and survival, now stands as a testament to the devastating consequences of war and the urgent need for international intervention to protect civilians and address the root causes of the conflict. For Sarah and the millions of others affected by this crisis, the road ahead is uncertain, but their stories serve as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and the resilience of the human spirit.