Sudan's Rapid Support Forces Launch Deadly Attack on Famine-Stricken Clinic

A brutal attack by Sudanese paramilitaries has resulted in the deaths of nine medical personnel in a famine-affected camp, heightening concerns over escalating violence and humanitarian neglect in the region.

Sudanese paramilitary forces have committed a shocking act by killing all nine staff members of the last medical clinic in the Zamzam camp, located in the war-torn region of Darfur. This incident is part of a broader offensive that has claimed at least 100 lives, leaving humanitarian groups and the United Nations deeply alarmed. The Zamzam camp, housing around 500,000 displaced individuals in El Fasher, has been a focal point of conflict, particularly amid ongoing atrocities linked to the civil war in Sudan.

On Friday evening, gunmen from the Rapid Support Forces (R.S.F.) launched a coordinated attack on the camp, following hours of intense shelling that preceded their incursion. Their aggression led to the destruction of hundreds of shelters and the main market, before they targeted the medical facility that had been the last hope for many suffering from the effects of famine and violence. Relief International, the organization managing the clinic, confirmed the heartbreaking loss of the entire medical team, which included five medics and four drivers, as they bravely continued providing care amidst impending danger.

Kashif Shafique, the Sudan director for Relief International, revealed in a phone call that the paramilitaries had warned the medical staff to evacuate the day before the attack. However, their commitment to treating injured civilians and the closure of main exit routes complicated their situation. This catastrophic event marks a significant escalation in the violence in Darfur, raising further alarms about the deteriorating humanitarian conditions and the ongoing struggle for survival among displaced populations in the region.