Fires at Zamzam IDP camp amid reported RSF attacks

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) reportedly attacked the Zamzam camp for internally displaced people (IDP) near El Fasher, North Darfur, on 11 February 2025.  According to the United Nations (UN), Zamzam houses around 500,000 displaced people, who are also dealing with an ongoing famine. 

Although Sudan Witness could not identify footage of the attack, the team verified that fires impacted Zamzam market and surrounding buildings on the same day of the alleged assault. Sudan Witness also verified several videos between 11 and 12 February showing RSF fighters celebrating in the camp, confirming their presence.

On 12 January,  Sudan Tribune posted a video to X showing fires at Zamzam market. Sudan Witness geolocated the video to open land to the east of the market (figure 1). A man in the video claims that the date  is 11 January. NASA Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) shows heat anomalies over the market on 11 and 12 January, indicating fires. The video surfaced online on the morning of 12 January, and a sunset can be seen in the footage. This led Sudan Witness to assess that the video was likely filmed on 11 January. Using satellite imagery, Sudan Witness also verified fire damage at Zamzam market. Comparative analysis of Planet imagery from 11 and 13 February showed burn scars covering a large area of the market.

Verified footage confirms that the RSF were within the vicinity of the fires. Three different videos were shared on social media between 11 and 12 February (one to a pro-RSF Telegram channel, a second pro-RSF Telegram channel, and another to a  pro-SAF Facebook page) showing armed men celebrating with plumes of smoke visible in the background. Sudan Witness verified all three videos and confirmed they were filmed at the northern entrance to the camp (figure 2), approximately 250 metres from the video of the fire in Zamzam market.

Sudan Witness matched the uniforms of the men celebrating at the northern entrance to Zamzam camp to those commonly worn by the RSF. While no RSF patches could be identified, the team observed that at least one of the uniforms had discolorations in the place and shape of the RSF patch and name tag. This suggests that the patches might have been removed.