UN condemns shelling of Zamam camp, warns of “unacceptable” suffering

December 3, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – The United Nations has strongly condemned the shelling of a camp for internally displaced people in Sudan’s Darfur region, warning of “unacceptable levels of human suffering.”

The Zamzam camp near El Fasher, North Darfur, which houses over 500,000 people, was reportedly hit by shelling on December 1 and 2. At least five people were killed and 18 injured, according to initial reports.

“I am deeply concerned by reports of the indiscriminate shelling of Zamzam camp, health clinics, and shelters of displaced people,” said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan. “Their protection is paramount.”

The attack forced aid groups to suspend activities in the camp, and the hospital was evacuated.

Nkweta-Salami called for an immediate halt to attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. “These repeated attacks impacting civilian facilities are a stark reminder of the devastating impact that the war has had on Sudanese men, women and children,” she said.

The shelling comes as El Fasher and the Zamzam camp have been cut off from critical humanitarian supplies for months. Famine conditions were confirmed in the area in August.

“The situation in Zamzam camp was already at a breaking point,” Nkweta-Salami said. “Civilians and civilian infrastructure are protected under international humanitarian law and should never be a target.”