UN concerned over safety of civilians in North Darfur state

June 4, 2024 (KHARTOUM) –The United Nations says its deeply concerned about the wellbeing of civilians caught up in heavy fighting in Sudan’s North Darfur state capital, Al Fasher.

At least 130,000 people, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), have been displaced in and around Al Fasher in the past two months. Figures on displaced people are provided by the UN Migration Agency (IOM).

The UN Children Fund (UNICEF) fears a water cut-off for 270,000 people in Al Fasher and surrounding areas after reports of armed clashes to control the Golo water reservoir.

“The agency is calling on all parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and end all attacks on or close to critical civilian infrastructure, including water systems and facilities, hospitals, health centers and schools,” said OCHA.

Since March, it further noted, an estimated 3.7 million children under the age of 5 and 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women have been acutely malnourished.

There are also concerns that the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan is severely underfunded. Of the US$2.7 billion needed, only $430 has been received. However, despite funding gaps and other challenges, including active fighting, insecurity, looting and access impediments, humanitarian partners are sparing no effort to reach people in need across the country.

More than 8.8 million people, according to the UN, have fled their homes since mid-April 2023, with access to food considered the priority need of the internally displaced persons, followed by healthcare, water as well as sanitation services

(ST)