North Darfur IDP camp in dire crisis

The Zamzam Camp for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Sudan’s North Darfur State is facing a dire humanitarian crisis due to the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The camp is located 15 km south of El Fasher town, the state capital of North Darfur. It was established in 2004 in response to the influx of displaced persons, who were fleeing the war in Darfur.

Abdallah Yahya Ibrahim, the director of Al-Zaeem 38 and 39 Center at the Al-Salam School, which has been repurposed as a sheltering house, described the situation as tragic, in his statement to Radio Tamazuj on Saturday.

The Zamzam Camp has been inundated with a massive influx of people fleeing artillery shelling and violence in the city of Al-Fasher. Numerous voices from the camp have spoken out about the catastrophic conditions.

Ibrahim revealed that his center was housing 687 families, approximately 2,780 individuals, from various parts of the state, particularly the neighborhoods of Al-Salam and Al-Inqaz.

“These displaced families are in desperate need of shelter, food, kitchen utensils, and water tanks,” he stated, calling for urgent intervention from the international, regional and national organizations, and philanthropists.

One of the displaced, Mariam Ibrahim Imam, reported that she had moved to several locations and sheltering houses in search of safety. She emphasized that they were living in dire conditions amid the months-long conflict and appealed to both organizations and the government to intervene.

Hassan Sabir Jumaa, the coordinator for IDP affairs at the Humanitarian Aid Commission in North Darfur, urged the international, regional, and national organizations, and individuals to urgently address the severe humanitarian conditions, especially at Zamzam, Abu Shouk, Shagra, Saluma, Shala, Dar Al-Salaam, Kalimendo, Tawila, Mellit, Umm Baru, and Kornoi.

“With the rainy season approaching, we are living under trees, facing immense humanitarian suffering,” he stated.