It was tragically appropriate that the second anniversary of Sudan's devastating civil war was marked by yet another massacre. At least 400 people were killed [9] when the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF [10]) overran the Zam Zam [11] displacement camp in North Darfur on April 11. They also executed 10 staff members in the camp's last remaining clinic [12], including medics and ambulance drivers. Eighty percent of the camp's original 500,000 population has escaped to the nearby government-held town of el-Fasher [11], although the RSF is believed to be trying to stop [13] people—especially young men—from leaving. Sudan is recognized as the world's largest humanitarian crisis [14] in a conflict marked by both sides' brutality and intransigence. An international conference held in London this week pledged millions of dollars in aid but made no progress on ending the war [15]. Instead, regional powers, who hold the most sway over the military rivals, disagreed on Sudan's political future [16]. As splits sharpen, the RSF has declared that it is forming a rival government [17]—deepening fears of the permanent division of the country.
From The New Humanitarian [19], April 18. Some internal links added.
