RAPID SUPPORT FORCES CLAIM CONTROL OF ZAMZAM CAMP, DENY TARGETING CIVILIANS AMID ESCALATING DARFUR CONFLICT.
BY NJOKI KARANJA.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have announced the successful takeover of Zamzam Camp in North Darfur, claiming the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied Islamist militias had transformed the camp into a military base while using civilians as human shields.
In a statement released Sunday, the RSF said they have now deployed units to secure civilians and humanitarian personnel in the camp. The paramilitary group dismissed reports that its fighters had targeted civilians, calling the accusations "false" and part of a coordinated media campaign allegedly orchestrated by the SAF and the Islamic Movement.
“The so-called 'Joint Force' and affiliated armed mercenary movements have violated international humanitarian law by using Zamzam Camp as a military base and endangering civilian lives,” the RSF said, while reaffirming its commitment to protecting non-combatants and upholding international humanitarian law.
The statement emphasized that families had been voluntarily evacuated from El Fasher and surrounding areas to safer zones under the protection of the "Founding Alliance Forces," a coalition linked with the RSF. These areas are said to offer shelter and basic services in coordination with humanitarian organizations.
The RSF leadership expressed openness to collaboration with international relief agencies and reiterated its intent to avoid damage to civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities.
The developments in Zamzam come amid a wider humanitarian crisis in Sudan, with mounting concerns from global observers about civilian safety and access to aid in conflict zones.
