Sudan has been devastated by relentless violence, with heavy fighting intensifying around the last major city in western Darfur still not under paramilitary control, according to the U.N.’s top humanitarian official.
Interim humanitarian chief Joyce Msuya informed the U.N. Security Council that famine has already struck Zamzam camp, located 15 kilometers from El Fasher, the embattled capital of North Darfur. She emphasized that urgent humanitarian intervention is now “a matter of life and death.”
The conflict in Sudan erupted in mid-April 2023, following long-standing tensions between military and paramilitary leaders in Khartoum, which then spread to other regions, including Darfur. The U.N. reports that the conflict has resulted in over 14,000 deaths and 33,000 injuries.
Msuya advised the council to press both the Sudanese government and the paramilitary Rapid Support Force to halt attacks on civilians, hospitals, schools, and other vital infrastructure.
She also called for unrestricted access for humanitarian aid across borders and conflict lines.
Msuya also urged the U.N.’s 193 member states to apply pressure on the warring factions “to agree to a humanitarian pause to save lives, give civilians relief, and enable the delivery of aid.”
Two decades ago, Darfur became infamous for genocide and war crimes committed by the Janjaweed Arab militias against populations identifying as Central or East African. The violence resulted in up to 300,000 deaths and displaced 2.7 million people.
This grim history seems to be repeating itself, with International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan stating in January that there is evidence suggesting both sides may be involved in war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide in Darfur.
She warned that “the world must not allow the atrocities seen in West Darfur to happen again in El Fasher”.
The Security Council in June passed a resolution calling for “an immediate stop to the fighting and a reduction in violence in and around El Fasher.”
However, Msuya noted that both parties disregarded this call, and the violence escalated in the last week with “continuous and intense” shelling and bombing.
Msuya reported that “civilians, particularly women and children, have been affected, and civilian infrastructure — including hospitals and camps for displaced individuals — has also come under fire”.
Of the three main hospitals in El Fasher, only one is still operational, but only partially, after sustaining significant damage in an August attack.
International experts confirmed famine conditions in Zamzam camp in August, where around 500,000 displaced individuals live. Nearly 1.7 million people in North Darfur are suffering from “acute food insecurity”, Msuya added and 13 other regions in Sudan are at risk of famine.
Doctors Without Borders reported in February that a child was dying every two hours in Zamzam camp.
Msuya further shared that recent screenings by the organisation and the Ministry of Health, conducted from September 1 to 5, indicate the situation is worsening.
Msuya reported that “around 34% of children are malnourished, with 10% suffering from severe malnutrition”. Aid efforts have been hindered by both conflict and flooding, but as the floodwaters recede in the coming weeks, the U.N. will be able to begin delivering food and other supplies to El Fasher and other famine-threatened regions.
The acting undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs emphasized that addressing “the dire humanitarian crisis” hinges on two factors: reducing the fighting and ensuring both sides allow access to those in need.
“Make no mistake: Without secure and consistent access, along with a steady flow of food and humanitarian aid, we will witness a sharp rise in deaths, including among children, in Zamzam and other areas near El Fasher,” she warned.
Msuya also highlighted that the same alarming situation applies throughout Sudan, particularly in the capital Khartoum and the nearby Sennar and Jazeera states, which continue to be ravaged “by relentless violence”.
Msuya reported that “around 34% of children are malnourished, with 10% suffering from severe malnutrition”. Aid efforts have been hindered by both conflict and flooding, but as the floodwaters recede in the coming weeks, the U.N. will be able to begin delivering food and other supplies to El Fasher and other famine-threatened regions.
The acting undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs emphasised that addressing “the dire humanitarian crisis” hinges on two factors: reducing the fighting and ensuring both sides allow access to those in need.
“Make no mistake: Without secure and consistent access, along with a steady flow of food and humanitarian aid, we will witness a sharp rise in deaths, including among children, in Zamzam and other areas near El Fasher,” she warned.
Msuya also highlighted that the same alarming situation applies throughout Sudan, particularly in the capital Khartoum and the nearby Sennar and Jazeera states, which continue to be ravaged “by relentless violence”.
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