Approximately 800,000 individuals in a Sudanese city are facing an urgent and dire situation as escalating violence threatens to engulf the region in deadly inter-communal conflict, warned top UN officials in a Security Council session on Friday. The crisis stems from a conflict that erupted a year ago between the Sudanese Army (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), resulting in the largest displacement crisis globally.
According to Rosemary DiCarlo, the chief of UN political affairs, clashes between RSF and SAF-aligned factions of the Joint Protection Forces are encroaching upon El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. DiCarlo emphasized the potential for this violence to spark wider inter-communal strife across Darfur, echoing concerns voiced by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier in the week.
The United Nations estimates that nearly 25 million people, representing half of Sudan's population, require humanitarian assistance, with approximately 8 million individuals displaced from their homes. The current violence poses an immediate threat to the 800,000 civilians residing in El Fasher, according to UN aid operations director Edem Wosornu. Moreover, there is a risk of further violence erupting in other parts of Darfur, where over 9 million people urgently require humanitarian aid.
In response to the escalating crisis, the international community has emphasized the need for immediate action to prevent widespread suffering and avert a catastrophic hunger crisis in Sudan. Donors pledged over $2 billion in aid for war-torn Sudan at a conference in Paris, underscoring the urgency of addressing the humanitarian needs arising from the conflict.
