The World Food Program has announced a pause in aid distribution in the Zamzam displacement camp in Sudan, home to half a million people, due to escalating fighting between the military and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group. This conflict has forced aid partners to evacuate the camp, leaving thousands of families at risk of starvation.
The agency's regional director, Laurent Bukera, issued a warning stating that without immediate assistance, the situation in Zamzam could deteriorate rapidly, leading to a potential humanitarian crisis. The World Food Program had been providing food to approximately 300,000 camp residents, but recent violence has severely disrupted these efforts.
Intensified shelling in the area has hindered aid delivery, with one attack destroying the camp's central market, further exacerbating the food and supply shortages. Doctors Without Borders also had to suspend operations in the camp due to increased attacks, highlighting the dangerous conditions faced by both civilians and humanitarian workers.
Satellite imagery revealed the use of heavy weapons in and around the camp, causing widespread fear and preventing people from fleeing during the most intense fighting. Tragically, several individuals, including aid workers, lost their lives in the recent violence.
The Zamzam camp was declared to be in a state of famine in August, with the crisis spreading to other displaced populations in Darfur and the Western Nuba Mountains. The World Food Program has faced numerous challenges in delivering aid, including poor road conditions, ongoing conflict, and obstruction by armed groups.
The conflict between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces has been ongoing since April 2023, characterized by atrocities such as killings and sexual violence. International bodies, including the International Criminal Court, are investigating allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region.
Aid organizations have repeatedly called for unimpeded access to provide life-saving assistance to those in need, but obstacles persist. Efforts are being made at the international level to address the crisis, with plans for a meeting in London to discuss ways to support peace in Sudan.
The United States and other countries have urged the Rapid Support Forces to cease their attacks on civilians in Zamzam and allow humanitarian aid to reach those in desperate need.
