The United Nations on Monday warned that violence in Sudan is continuing to endanger civilians and drive thousands of people from their homes across the country.
In Blue Nile state, local authorities reported that nearly 22,000 people may have been displaced over the past seven days by escalating fighting in Geissan locality. Many are sheltering in schools or have fled to other areas, including the state capital.
In North Kordofan, attacks on Saturday on villages northeast and northwest of the state capital El Obeid reportedly caused casualties and displacement, while civilian property and livestock were looted, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
Drone strikes in eastern El Obeid a day earlier also reportedly caused casualties. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said increased insecurity in North Kordofan had displaced about 450 people on Monday.
In West Darfur, civilians were reportedly killed and injured last Thursday when a drone strike hit a fuel market in a town near the border with Chad, damaging civilian property, OCHA said.
Renewed fighting around two towns in South Kordofan in recent days has also forced families to flee their homes, it added.
Meanwhile, Sudan’s Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown said the detention of humanitarian workers by non-state armed groups is unacceptable.
In a statement, Brown said an increasing number of aid workers were being detained, putting their safety at risk and disrupting critical humanitarian operations. She called for their immediate and unconditional release.
The United Nations urged all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, respect international humanitarian law and ensure humanitarian organisations can operate safely and independently.
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