El Fasher: The United Nations warned of a dire humanitarian crisis as violence and displacement escalate following the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) takeover of Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, western Sudan.
According to Qatar News Agency, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a press briefing on Thursday that many residents of Zamzam camp have been living there since the conflict in Darfur began in 2003, adding that famine has now been officially confirmed in the camp.
He noted that thousands of civilians are currently fleeing conflict zones in search of safety and shelter, warning that the humanitarian crisis is deepening amid deteriorating conditions on the ground and continued violence and displacement.
Dujarric said that the massive influx of displaced people into host communities and towns where needs are already high is placing critical pressure on health services, water infrastructure, and local food systems across North Darfur. He added that the UN is coordinating a cross-border mission from Chad to Darfur in the coming days to deliver aid to up to 40,000 people. He called on all parties to respect international humanitarian law, ensure safe passage of civilians, and facilitate unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance.
Earlier, UNICEF reported that nearly 825,000 children in and around the western Sudan city of El Fasher face daily life-threatening risks amid an increasingly catastrophic humanitarian situation, nearly two years into the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
The armed conflict in Sudan between the army and the RSF has been ongoing since April 2023, resulting in the deaths of over 20,000 people and displacement of nearly 14 million others, according to local and UN reports.