UN urges immediate ceasefire in North Darfur amid humanitarian catastrophe
The UN estimates that 79 per cent of the population across Darfur is in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, a staggering figure that reflects the scale of suffering in the region.
The United Nations is raising the alarm about the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in North Darfur, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people are trapped in the Sudan conflict.
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, made an urgent plea on Sunday for an immediate ceasefire in the region, warning that aid workers are unable to reach those most in need.
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“The situation in Abu Shouk and Zamzam in North Darfur is catastrophic,” Salami said in a statement shared on her X account.
“Civilians are trapped. Aid cannot reach those who need it most. I urgently call for a ceasefire and humanitarian pauses to deliver life-saving assistance.”
In El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, the sound of shelling has become a daily reality.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have tightened their siege on the city, where food, clean water, and medical supplies are running dangerously low.
Since the RSF seized control of the nearby Zamzam camp in April, tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee, many of them making the difficult journey to El Fasher in search of safety.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), around 300,000 people are currently sheltering in the Tawila camp and are in urgent need of assistance.
Meanwhile, the Zamzam camp, once home to over 400,000 displaced people, now holds around 180,000 who remain trapped and cut off from vital aid.
To the north of El Fasher, residents of the Abu Shouk camp, where 190,000 displaced people have sought refuge, are living under the constant threat of shelling.
“It’s a nightmare,” said one aid worker, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Every day we wonder if the camp will be hit again.”
In West Darfur, where food insecurity is reaching catastrophic levels, there is a small glimmer of hope.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has launched a seed distribution campaign, providing 50,000 kilos of sorghum seeds to 5,000 families, an effort that could feed up to 25,000 people.
Still, the broader picture remains grim.
The UN estimates that 79 per cent of the population across Darfur needs humanitarian assistance and protection, a staggering figure that reflects the scale of suffering in the region.
“We are watching a crisis unfold in slow motion. Without immediate action to stop the violence and allow humanitarian access, the consequences will be unthinkable," said Salami.
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