RSF Hunting Community Leaders and Their Families After Taking Zamzam
*The RSF has launched a wave of killings since taking the camp on Sunday*
*A targeted community leader tells Avaaz his neighbour and sister-in-law were killed*
*At least 60,000 households displaced from Zamzam in two days*
*IDPs in El Fasher are dying of hunger and thirst, says local doctor”
WED 16 APR -- The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are going door-to-door hunting community leaders and their families after gaining control of the Zamzam displacement camp, one of those being targeted has told Avaaz.
The group took the camp, the largest for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan, on Sunday following waves of artillery shelling and ground attacks over recent months. The days since have seen reports of summary executions, sexual violence, and the burning of property, while satellite images suggest checkpoints have been set up at some of the camp’s exits to prevent people fleeing.
A local sheikh who lives in the region around Zamzam said soldiers came to the area asking for directions to his home, killing two people who refused to provide them. After finding the house, he said, they “killed my neighbour and then entered the house”.
“My wife had already left early. Her sister was in the yard. They shot and threw her on the side, and now we don't know whether she's dead or alive. My son [...] jumped out of the back and fled,” he said.
“They burned my car and went inside my office and burned down all the documents. They burned and destroyed the house completely. I just left the house, even the cars. I left them there and did not hide anything.”
The sheikh was able to flee to the nearby city of El Fasher but the troops also found and burned the home of the sheikh’s in-laws. He later received a phone call in which he was told: “You son of a bitch, you dog. We won’t leave you [alone].”
Preliminary data from the International Organization for Migration suggests that between 60,000 and 80,000 households were displaced from Zamzam just on 13th and 14th April. Images taken in the town of Tawila, around 30 miles west of Zamzam, show displaced people arriving from the camp, many having made the journey with little food or water.
The sheikh said the ongoing assault on the broader civilian population in Zamzam was “atrocious, extremely horrific”. “These people [have] no morals, no humanity. Not even the devil would do such a thing,” he said.
‘We need medication. We need everything’
El Fasher is the final state-capital in Darfur not controlled by the RSF, and the group is expected to imminently launch a large-scale assault to capture the city. It has already been bombarding El Fasher with artillery strikes, while satellite imagery has shown a force of 200 vehicles with mounted weaponry amassed in Zamzam that is believed to be preparing for an attack on El Fasher.
Of approximately 900,000 people in El Fasher, Zamzam, and the surrounding region, roughly 60% are already facing acute food insecurity says OCHA . Any clashes in the city would be expected to cause significant civilian casualties, both from crossfire and deliberate targeting.
Director General of the North Darfur Health Ministry, Ibrahim Khater told Avaaz that many health facilities in El Fasher had been destroyed, while those still functioning were being deliberately targeted and running critically short of supplies.
“We need medication. We need a lot of equipment. We need everything,” he said.
Voices from the Ground
Interviews available on request. Names have been changed due to safety concerns.
Suliman*, a local health worker spoke to Avaaz and described the recent attacks on Zamzam
“I was present at the camp since the first attack [...] The attack started from three different directions, involving intense artillery shelling in many areas of the camp. There were also ongoing clashes with live ammunition, resulting in dozens of civilian casualties. Some died from stray bullets, others were executed inside their homes, and some were assaulted in hospitals.
“For example, at [a centre run by an aid group] some of the medical staff and workers, including drivers and other employees, were killed. Additionally, some students at the Quranic schools in the camp were also executed. Many civilians were injured, and many died.
“There is also a severe shortage of medical supplies and equipment. The evacuation of the wounded to El Fasher for surgery is extremely limited, as most of the civilians do not have means to move from the camp. The wounded inside the camp have not been able to leave, and there is a shortage of basic medical items such as gloves, painkillers, cotton, gauze, intravenous fluids, and any other supplies needed to save lives. We urgently need these items here in El Fasher.
“Most of the refugees who have arrived in El Fasher are in a very poor psychological state, devastated and displaced in the open, with no shelter or refuge. They are now on the streets, and most of the city’s streets are filled with displaced people from the camp. The situation requires immediate rescue. Some are dying from hunger, others from thirst. If aid is not provided in the coming days, the situation will become catastrophic. Urgent intervention is needed, whether through international organizations or any other means to save the lives of millions of citizens.
“The main obstacle is the blockade imposed on the city. There is a severe shortage of anything that could save lives, and even when aid is available, it is extremely expensive. The situation is dire—there is thirst, hunger, and devastating poverty affecting the people in the city, particularly the refugees from the displaced camps.”
The dispatch features the latest developments, first-hand testimony, footage, photos, stats and analysis on Sudan. We can connect you with voices from the ground, experts and survivors of the war. I am available at +44 7935 296 004 / sudan@avaaz.org