The spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday said they remain gravely concerned about the worsening conditions in and around the besieged capital of North Darfur State, El Fasher.
According to Stéphane Dujarric, the UN’s humanitarian colleagues informed them that fighting in El Fasher continues to force more people to leave their homes.
“The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that between the 2 and 4 of October alone, some 770 people were displaced from the city due to heightened insecurity,” he said. “They reportedly sought shelter in gathering sites in Tawila, also in North Darfur. As you may recall, the Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Denise Brown, briefed you from Tawila just last week.”
“We and our partners stand ready to deliver assistance once access to El-Fasher is granted. At the same time, we continue to press for increased UN presence on the ground in North Darfur and other areas of need,” Dujjaric added.
He stated that in response to the deepening crisis, the World Food Programme (WFP) says it has reached some 250,000 people in El Fasher with monthly cash transfers since the start of the year. And in other parts of Darfur, WFP has scaled up its emergency food and nutrition assistance.
“The agency reports that nearly two million people across Darfur received food and nutrition assistance in August, including in areas where famine has been confirmed or where the risk of famine is high,” Dujarric said. “This number accounts for roughly half of the 4.2 million people receiving WFP support across Sudan, as the agency prioritizes areas facing the most extreme levels of hunger.”
He once again called for lifting the siege of El Fasher, protection of civilians, and safe passage for those fleeing.
“Unimpeded humanitarian access must be facilitated to reach hundreds of thousands of civilians who have been trapped in the city for over 500 days,” Dujarric said.