Sudan’s civil war spirals into chaos as civilians pay the price

Sudan has been plagued by civil war since April 2023, and its people are the victims of violence from the two opposing sides: the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Two years in, the RSF launched a violent attack on Zamzam Camp on April 11, 2025, resulting in a massacre where the death toll is feared to be over 1,500 civilians. The assault has been described as a genocidal massacre, particularly as the UK prepared to host a global summit aimed at bringing peace to Sudan.

Deepening crisis

Zamzam camp, located near Al Fashir in the Darfur region, housed approximately half a million residents who have already been suffering from starvation and deprivation of essential assistance. The camp has been under attack, with people being starved, shelled and cut off from vital aid, leading to what one person described as an “extremely catastrophic” situation after three days of assaults.

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The attacks on Zamzam included the destruction of medical facilities, such as the last remaining hospital in the camp, which provided critical maternal and reproductive health services. Relief International reported that nine of its employees were killed when gunmen stormed the camp in Al Fashir. The systematic targeting of medical facilities indicates an intent by the RSF to prevent civilians in North Darfur from accessing life-saving medical care.

The United Nations and other aid organizations have reported that the attacks by the Rapid Support Forces have led to numerous deaths and injuries, including those of aid workers and children. The UN cites “credible sources” for the estimated death toll from recent attacks on refugee camps in Darfur. The situation has been further exacerbated by the siege of North Darfur’s capital, Al Fashir, which has been under RSF siege for over a year, causing key roads to be blocked and supplies to run out.

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Precarity and escalating emergency

The ongoing violence in Zamzam has triggered a massive wave of displacement, with over 436,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) recorded across 26 localities in four states of Sudan as of June 29, 2025. Between April and May 2025, nearly 500,000 people, including 260,000 children, were displaced from Zamzam camp, representing about 99% of the camp’s population. Many have fled to Al Fashir, Neivasha, Abu Shouk, and other villages.

The situation in Sudan is now considered the biggest humanitarian crisis ever recorded. The violence in Zamzam camp marks an alarming turning point, exacerbating the already dire conditions faced by displaced people. The international community is urged to provide protection and assistance to Sudanese civil society, including emergency evacuation support, as humanitarians and human rights documenters are being targeted by the RSF.

A recent investigation has revealed that the number of civilians killed in an April attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Sudan’s Zamzam refugee camp may be far greater than initial estimates. The assault, which occurred in the context of the ongoing Sudanese civil war, has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian crisis in the region, where nearly half a million people, including hundreds of thousands of children, have been displaced. The violence has intensified, with the RSF continuously shelling and attacking refugee camps near Al Fashir, leading to a catastrophic malnutrition crisis and widespread displacement, according to a report in The Guardian.

The situation remains critical, with continued fighting and displacement further endangering the lives of vulnerable civilians in the region.