El Fasher conflict forces mass displacement, as humanitarian crisis deepens
June 11, 2024 (EL-FASHER) – A mass exodus of civilians from El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, to the town of Tawila, 60 kilometres west, is underway as the conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensifies. Those fleeing have recounted harrowing experiences of escalating violence and dire living conditions.
For almost a month, fierce battles have raged between the Sudanese army, supported by allied armed movements, and the RSF. The conflict has resulted in hundreds of casualties and triggered a massive wave of displacement, with an estimated 28,000 people fleeing their homes between May 24 and June 3.
Adam Rajal, spokesperson for the General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugee Camps in Darfur, confirmed that thousands of displaced individuals arrived in Tawila and surrounding villages on Monday.
The situation in Tawila is dire, with a spokesperson for the Displaced Persons Shelter Committee reporting severe shortages of food, medicine, water, and shelter.
According to Sudan Tribune, Tawila was previously under army control but has since been taken over by the Sudan Liberation Movement, led by Abdel Wahid Nur, to protect those fleeing the fighting.
An official from the Shelter Committee, affiliated with the Sudan Liberation Movement’s civil authority, stated that the influx of displaced people has overwhelmed the town’s resources, exacerbating existing shortages and driving up prices.
The region also lacks adequate medical services, with the only hospital in Tawila facing a critical shortage of supplies.
Video testimonies collected by the General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugee Camps reveal the harrowing experiences of those fleeing El Fasher. They describe daily shelling, ongoing battles, looting, and the loss of essential necessities.
This escalating humanitarian crisis underscores the urgent need for international attention and assistance. The displaced population in Tawila and surrounding areas requires immediate support to address their basic needs and ensure their safety and well-being.
A Woman’s story of survival
A woman who escaped the violence in El Fasher and reached Tawila, now controlled by Abdel Wahid Nur’s Sudan Liberation Army, shared her harrowing tale of survival. Fleeing amidst a barrage of shelling and deteriorating living conditions, she described the journey to Tawila as a scene of devastation, with entire villages reduced to ashes.
Her story is just one among countless others. The North Darfur government estimates that 1.5 million people have been displaced within the state, mostly due to the ongoing Darfur conflict since 2003. While many reside in camps surrounding El Fasher, thousands more have sought refuge in the city itself after the outbreak of war between the army and Rapid Support Forces last April.
The United Nations has sounded the alarm about the escalating humanitarian crisis, warning that the lives of 800,000 civilians in El Fasher remain at risk. The situation is particularly dire for children, with UNICEF reporting the deaths of at least six children in the city since last Friday.
This woman’s account is a stark reminder of the human cost of the conflict in Darfur. As the fighting rages on, the need for international attention and humanitarian assistance grows increasingly urgent.
Arrival of Aid
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced on Tuesday the arrival of three trucks carrying essential relief supplies to North Darfur across the border with neighbouring Chad. They reported that these trucks arrived after weeks of waiting.
UNHCR stated on its X (formerly Twitter) page that it will begin immediately on Tuesday, with its partners, to distribute humanitarian aid to 1,140 families in need in the localities of Um Baro and Kornoy, north of North Darfur state.
UNHCR considered the border with Chad vital for those affected in Darfur and warned of what it called the continued decline in global attention to the crisis in Sudan.
It continued by saying, “This crisis cannot be ignored to become another forgotten emergency.”
The violent fighting between the Sudanese army and its allies on one side and the Rapid Support Forces on the other, especially in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, is forcing thousands of civilians and displaced people to flee the city to other towns and villages in the state in conditions where they lack basic necessities such as water, food, and shelter, according to local organizations and committees in the new displacement sites.