The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General, Amy Pope, has warned that extreme insecurity and appalling human rights violations, including mass killings and ethnic and sexual violence in El Fasher, in Sudan’s North Darfur State, have triggered a dramatic surge in displacement and further worsened the humanitarian crisis.
Pope made the statement on Tuesday as she began a five-day visit to the war-torn country.
“The crisis in El Fasher is the direct result of nearly 18 months of siege that has severed families from food, water, and medical care,” she stated. “Our teams are responding, but insecurity and depleted supplies mean we are only reaching a fraction of those in need.”
“Without safe access and urgent funding, humanitarian operations risk grinding to a halt at the very moment communities need support the most,” Pope added.
In the past two weeks, heavy shelling and ground assaults in and around El Fasher have displaced nearly 90,000 people, forcing families to flee through unsafe routes with almost no access to food, water, or medical assistance. Tens of thousands of civilians remain trapped inside the city, surviving in famine-like conditions as hospitals, markets, and water systems collapse.
According to the IOM, violence is spreading in other regions of Sudan as well. Between 26 October and 9 November, an estimated 38,990 people fled fighting in North Kordofan. Many are travelling long distances on foot or on donkey carts, sleeping outdoors without shelter, and going days without food while facing constant fear of attack.
“There are increasing reports of alarming protection risks, including arbitrary detention, looting, physical assault, and gender-based violence. Tawila, which prior to the escalation hosted over 650,000 internally displaced persons, is now receiving dozens of seriously wounded Sudanese from El Fasher,” an IOM statement extended to Radio Tamazuj reads in part. “Despite the rising need, humanitarian operations are now on the brink of collapse. Warehouses are nearly empty, aid convoys face significant insecurity, and access restrictions continue to prevent the delivery of sufficient aid. IOM is urgently appealing for increased funding and immediate, sustained, and safe humanitarian access to avert an even greater catastrophe.”
Despite restricted access and limited supplies, IOM continues to deliver lifesaving assistance whenever possible, the statement said.
“A convoy launched from Port Sudan on 20 October is on its way to Tawila with shelter and non-food items for 7,500 displaced people, to be distributed by the African Relief Committee and Save the Children International,” IOM said. “Through its Rapid Response Fund, IOM’s local partners are implementing emergency projects providing shelter kits, protection assistance, and health services, and improving access to water, sanitation, and hygiene for 60,000 people across North and South Darfur in an effort to prevent outbreaks such as cholera.”
IOM urges donors, partners, and the international community to act now to prevent further loss of life and ensure that vulnerable communities can safely access assistance. Coordinated national and international efforts are critical to deliver lifesaving aid, restore dignity, and protect civilians caught in the escalating crisis.