Escalating hostilities and attacks in North Darfur over the past week have effectively obliterated Zamzam camp for internally displaced people, 15 kilometres from the North Darfur capital El Fasher, forcing all of its 500,000+ inhabitants to flee. Untold hundreds have died, thousands injured, in what commentators have termed ‘the final catastrophe’ for the camp.

Between the evening of April 10 and the morning of April 14, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), “using overwhelming military resources”, effectively destroyed Zamzam camp for internally displaced people, multiple sources have confirmed. As reported by Radio Dabanga on April 13, an RSF ground offensive on Zamzam camp forced ‘tens of thousands’ of the inhabitants of Zamzam and Abou Shouk camps to flee to the adjacent North Darfur capital El Fasher.

Zamzam camp was established in 2004 to accommodate thousands of people displaced by the war in Darfur, and especially since the outbreak of the current hostilities two years ago, has seen its population swell to approximately 500,000 people.

The escalating violence and “the largest humanitarian crisis in the world,” has prompted a chorus of international condemnation, with renewed calls for a ceasefire.

While communications from the area are unreliable and sporadic, as connections with mobile networks and even Starlink were unavailable, images and videos that have reached social media paint a horrific picture. Graphic evidence is provided in a report published today by the Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) at the Yale School of Public Health.

‘There can be no overstating the brutality and destructiveness of the RSF assault on Zamzam…’ – Sudan researcher and analyst, Prof Eric Reeves

Speaking to Radio Dabanga today, prominent Sudan researcher and analyst, Prof Eric Reeves, who is also cochair of the Team Zamzam project, a group of women who provide counselling to victims of sexual violence in the camp, describes the latest developments as “the final catastrophe”.

Between arson, shelling, and automatic gunfire, the RSF has cleared the camp of most of its more than 500,000 residents, killing many, including nine humanitarian aid workers—medical personnel—from Relief International.

“The camp population has in the main fled in two directions: to El Fasher (capital of North Darfur), 14 kilometres to the northeast and the Tawila area to the west in the direction of Jebel Marra,” Reeves confirms.

“Since the RSF controls most of the road from Zamzam to Tawila roughly 50 kilometres, many have been forced to flee off-road through the bush. Already weakened by lack of food and water, many—perhaps most—will die,” he laments.

“While El Fasher remains inaccessible, the Tawila area is the site of relief efforts by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF),” Reeves says.

Regarding the members of his own Team Zamzam, he says that “while the fate of only one of the counsellors is known (she survived and is in El Fasher), it is highly likely that some of them will make it to the Tawila area, and my effort—in partnership with my colleague of five years, Gaffar Mohammud Saeneen—will be to reconstitute a ‘Team Zamzam in Exile’,” he pledges. “These women bring with them an extraordinary knowledge of the camp’s population and will be able to conduct highly effective surveys of the people who do manage to reach the Tawila area. They are particularly skilled in responding to those girls and women traumatised by sexual violence, a population that has been steadily rising during the course of the current two-year war.”

“There can be no overstating the brutality and destructiveness of the RSF assault on Zamzam,” Reeves laments. “The camp that has existed since 2004 is no longer, even as it had grown to more than 500,000 people, with some informed estimates of the population much higher.

‘As much killing and destruction as we have already seen—and there are no truly reliable figures—the real dying has only just begun…’ – Sudan researcher and analyst, Prof Eric Reeves

“As much killing and destruction as we have already seen—and there are no truly reliable figures—the real dying has only just begun. Nearly the entire population of Zamzam has fled, and in all directions the threat of RSF violence remains. This creates insecurity of a sort that prevents humanitarians from reaching these scattered people,” Reeves told Radio Dabanga, warning that “tremendous numbers will die either from RSF violence or the lack of food, water, and shelter.”

He concludes that “the death toll will in the end be measured in tens of thousands of innocent civilians, primarily women and children. This, too, amounts to blood on the hands of the RSF.”

Satellite imagery

Today’s HRL report assesses that the RSF “continue to raze Zamzam camp through intentional arson attacks”. Highlighting that “between 11-16 April 2025, a total of 1.719 square kilometres of Zamzam has been destroyed, equivalent to 24.21 standard FIFA football pitches”.

‘Mass atrocities, including mass killing, torture, and conflict-related sexual violence, are likely ongoing in Zamzam…’ – Yale HRL

Through analysis of satellite imagery from 16 April 2025, the Yale HRL report identifies multiple active fires widespread across Zamzam and Ammar Gedid, a community immediately northwest of Zamzam. Analysis of satellite imagery from 14-16 April 2025 shows thermal scarring to 0.536 square kilometres of Zamzam, in addition to the approximately 1.183 square kilometres previously assessed as destroyed between 11-14 April 2025.

According to analysis of Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) data, active fires have been present every day in the IDP camp since RSF’s assault — which resulted in the capture of Zamzam — began on 11 April 2025. Yale HRL also assesses the presence of RSF troops equivalent in number to a regular infantry-sized large brigade to a small division force in and around Zamzam.

‘An armed RSF force of this size and proximity poses a significant threat to El Fasher…’ – Yale HRL

This includes approximately 350 vehicles in the eastern region and at least 50 vehicles in other areas of the camp. RSF force strength, based solely on a count of vehicles visible in satellite imagery, has at least doubled between 11 and 16 April 2025. The majority of vehicles visible in satellite imagery appear to have mounted weapons. An armed RSF force of this size and proximity poses a significant threat to El Fasher, which has been under RSF attack and siege since at least May 2024.

Activity consistent with civilian displacement from Zamzam through analysis of satellite imagery from 16 April 2025, corroborating reports reviewed by Yale HRL. Vehicles are positioned around Zamzam’s perimeter, including all four major access points to the camp, likely limiting civilian freedom of movement for those attempting to escape. UN OCHA reported on 15 April 2025 that RSF are “preventing those who remain inside, especially young people, from leaving.”

Yale HRL notes that “while an ongoing communication blackout has limited information from Zamzam, assesses that mass atrocities, including mass killing, torture, and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), are likely ongoing in Zamzam.”

Radio Dabanga has approached the RSF for comment on these allegations and reports.