PORT SUDAN: Air strikes targeted the Zamzam camp for displaced people in Sudan’s Darfur region on Sunday night, marking the first attack on the camp.
According to medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the General Coordination for Refugees and Displaced, the assault involved fighter jets and resulted in injuries to four children and the destruction of 20 homes. This latest escalation comes amid an already dire humanitarian crisis in the camp.
The Zamzam camp, which has seen its population surge to around half a million due to the ongoing conflict in the nearby city of El-Fasher, is facing severe famine conditions. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) review, supported by UN agencies, confirmed that famine conditions are ongoing as of July 2024. The review highlighted that conflict and restricted humanitarian access are driving the severe food shortages.
Since fighting erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), tens of thousands have been killed and the country has been plunged into a major displacement crisis. Both sides have faced allegations of war crimes, including targeting civilians and obstructing aid efforts.
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The International Criminal Court prosecutor has indicated plans to seek arrest warrants for those responsible for the atrocities in Darfur. With humanitarian operations largely suspended due to the violence, the situation remains critical, and international concern continues to grow over the unfolding humanitarian disaster.
