The spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday said the UN continues to be alarmed by attacks on civilians and growing constraints on humanitarian access across many parts of Sudan.
Stephane Dujarric, who was briefing the press in New York, said that in West Kordofan, local sources report that seven people were killed and dozens were injured when an air strike hit a funeral gathering in Payam Kasha in the Nuba Mountains last Friday.
“Also, in West Kordofan State, insecurity continues to displace families. Our colleagues at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) tell us that at least 120 people were forced to flee their homes on the same day,” he said. “In South Kordofan, drone strikes and attacks in the town of Dilling reportedly caused three deaths on Saturday. Local sources on the ground in Dilling also report that the humanitarian situation there is rapidly deteriorating.”
The spokesman added that continued fighting and repeated drone strikes are disrupting critical supply routes across the Kordofan region.
“Key roads linking the city of El Obeid in North Kordofan to the towns of Dilling and Kadugli in South Kordofan are increasingly unsafe, which has the direct impact of hampering the movement of humanitarian supplies and commercial supplies. Red tape is further compounding these challenges, with essential medical activities in El Obeid suspended for nearly one month now,” he stated. “In Blue Nile State, escalating hostilities near the border with Ethiopia have severely constrained humanitarian operations. Movement beyond the state capital of Ed Damazine is largely suspended, cutting off access to people in need there.”
“In Darfur, increasing insecurity and restrictions on humanitarian movements are choking humanitarian access. Aid workers face armed robberies, and they face attacks along key routes, while some organizations have been forced to suspend operations altogether, leaving vulnerable populations with even fewer services,” Dujarric added.
He said that despite all of these challenges, the UN and its partners continue to do their best to respond to needs across Sudan.
|Civilians must be protected at all times, which should be a surprise to no one, is a requirement under international humanitarian law. Attacks on civilians and essential infrastructure must stop,” Dujarric stated. “We reiterate that all parties must ensure rapid, safe, unhindered, and unimpeded humanitarian access, including all key routes and anywhere aid is needed.”