Aid organizations are increasingly challenged by the escalating humanitarian crisis in Sudan’s North Darfur region, driven largely by the activities of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to recent statements from the United Nations. The UN humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, highlighted that access to humanitarian assistance remains “dangerously restricted” in the capital city of el-Fasher and its surrounding areas, where recent RSF attacks have intensified.
In the past weeks, the situation has deteriorated, prompting a cascade of displacements from Zamzam, Abu Shouk, and other refugee camps. This evolving crisis has led to an “increasingly fluid” and “unpredictable” environment, underscored by fears that the RSF may be preparing to launch a more extensive offensive. The severity of the situation is illustrated by the fact that two years into a conflict with Sudan’s military government, the RSF has targeted areas serving as shelters for up to one million individuals, resulting in significant casualties. According to reports, at least 300 people have been killed, while nearly 400,000 residents were forced to flee approximately 60 kilometers (37 miles) across the harsh desert terrain to reach Tawila.
The UN has registered a staggering estimate of up to 450,000 displaced individuals being increasingly isolated from essential supply chains and humanitarian assistance, placing them at heightened risk for epidemics, malnutrition, and famine. Nkweta-Salami expressed an urgent call for both UN and non-governmental organizations to be granted “immediate and sustained access” to these critical regions to facilitate the delivery of life-saving support.
In a disheartening update from late last week, the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) labeled the conditions faced by displaced individuals in Tawila as “absolutely catastrophic.” MSF representatives reported that resources such as clean water, sanitation facilities, and food are alarmingly absent. They noted that over 170 individuals exhibited gunshot and blast injuries, with a concerning percentage of victims being women and girls.
New arrivals in Tawila have recounted harrowing experiences, including theft and sexual assault at the hands of paramilitary groups while en route to safer areas. Notably, Tawila is controlled by an armed faction that has maintained a neutral stance in the ongoing conflict between the RSF and the regular army, which erupted in April 2023. The conflict has resulted in staggering human tolls, with tens of thousands of lives lost and over 12 million people uprooted. The UN has characterized this circumstance as one of the worst humanitarian crises globally.
The international community is urged to pay attention and extend assistance to the affected populations in Sudan, as the situation remains dire and the need for humanitarian intervention is urgent.
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