The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, has strongly condemned indiscriminate attacks in the town of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State. Local authorities reported that at least 97 civilians were killed or injured when a hospital, a cattle market and residential areas came under attack on Saturday.
Sudan has been engulfed in a conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their respective allied armed groups since April 15, 2023. The war has killed and injured tens of thousands of people, caused massive displacement, led to large-scale atrocities, and created the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.
In a statement released today, Nkweta-Salami expressed condolences to the families of those killed and stressed that civilian infrastructure should never be targeted. According to the statement, many civilians were taken by surprise, as the city had been relatively calm for about two weeks, allowing markets to reopen and many families to resume their livelihoods.
“I am deeply saddened by these horrific attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, apartments and markets. Civilian infrastructures should never be a target and are protected under the international humanitarian law,” said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan.
Sudan continues to descend into chaos, with the humanitarian crisis worsening and the conflict taking a terrible toll on civilians in El Fasher and other conflict hotspots.
Fighting in El Fasher town has escalated since April 2024. Deadly clashes in the capital of North Darfur State have hit residential areas, markets, hospitals and sites hosting displaced people. The humanitarian situation in El Fasher, where people have been trapped by fighting for months, is critical.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), up to 329,000 people were displaced from the town in April, May and June. Amid the alarming situation in El Fasher, the UN Security Council demanded in June that the Rapid Support Forces end their siege of the town.
Fifteen months into the armed conflict between the SAF and the RSF, millions of people lack access to basic services such as food, water and health care. Nearly a quarter of the country's population has fled their homes and lost their livelihoods, while months of fighting have taken a heavy toll on civilian infrastructure.
Hunger in the country has reached catastrophic levels. The rapid deterioration of food security in Sudan has left 755,000 people in catastrophic conditions (IPC Phase 5) with a risk of famine in 14 areas. 8.5 million people are projected to be in emergency hunger (IPC Phase 4) and on the brink of famine.
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase (IPC) analysis, published in June 2024, a total of 25.6 million people - 50 percent of the population - are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or worse). The worst conditions are in the areas most affected by fighting and where conflict-displaced people are concentrated.
Fourteen areas of the country, including Darfur States, Kordofan States, Al Jazirah State and some hotspots in Khartoum State, are at risk of famine, largely due to obstruction of humanitarian aid by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
The UN says the resumption of livelihoods and other economic activities, unimpeded humanitarian access and increased humanitarian funding are critical for Sudan to avert the looming threat of famine.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 15 million people need urgent health assistance to survive.
Aid workers in Sudan are doing all they can to avert a large-scale humanitarian catastrophe, but insecurity, blockages of humanitarian access, and funding shortages are undermining their efforts.
More than 18,800 people have been killed and over 33,000 injured since the conflict erupted in April 2023. The true death toll is feared to be much higher. More than 10.3 million people in Sudan - including more than 5 million children - have been displaced internally, and more than 2.3 million have fled to neighboring countries since fighting erupted in April 2023.
Most of the Sudanese who have crossed borders have sought refuge in the seven countries that surround the northeastern African nation. South Sudan has received the largest number of people from Sudan - more than 750,000 - many of them South Sudanese returning after many years. Chad has seen the largest influx of refugees in its history, with about 630,000 people crossing the border.
As of July 2024, more than 10.8 million women, men, and children have been internally displaced by conflict in the country - 2.8 million before April 2023 - making Sudan the largest internal displacement crisis in the world.
The total number of Sudanese refugees is estimated at more than 2.8 million, including those forced to flee before April 2023. In total, more than 13.5 million people have now been displaced by the conflict in Sudan, making it the worst displacement crisis in the world and one of the two largest crises alongside the conflict in Syria.
“At this moment when partners are racing against time and are doing everything, they can to stave off a large-scale humanitarian catastrophe, I call on parties to stop the fight and to do everything possible to protect civilians, allow them free movement and to go about their daily lives,” Nkweta-Salami said.
Despite limited funding and a hostile operating environment, humanitarian agencies are on the ground and have reached more than 7.1 million people with some form of humanitarian assistance between January and May.
However, more than halfway through the year, the Sudan humanitarian appeal, which seeks US$2.7 billion, is only 32 percent funded, with US$859 million received. Aid agencies need unfettered access and increased funding to reach all those who need urgent help.
“I am urging donors to urgently step up to disburse their commitments and identify new funding if humanitarians are to stand a chance at preventing a large-scale famine from taking hold,” added Nkweta-Salami.
In a related development on Monday, WHO condemned the increasing attacks on health services in Sudan, with 22 such attacks verified in the last 8 weeks alone.
Since the outbreak of war in April 2023, WHO has verified 88 attacks on health care - including on health facilities, ambulances and transport, assets, patients and health workers - resulting in 55 deaths and 104 injuries. Of these, the 22 attacks on health care verified since June 1 resulted in the deaths of 16 health workers and patients, including children, and the injury of 56 people, WHO said in a statement.
The UN agency said that hospitals, health facilities, ambulances and other health assets are a lifeline for the Sudanese people, who endure relentless fighting and frequent displacement due to the ongoing war.
“Sudan’s health workers continue to provide life-saving care – working in incredibly difficult conditions – driven by their commitment to serve the millions of people in need of urgent care. Yet their tenacity and dedication are rewarded with bombardment, harassment, intimidation, injury and death,” the statement said.
Sudan's health system is already hanging by a thread. It has been devastated by the effects of war, displacement, disease outbreaks, severe shortages of medical supplies, and a lack of cash to run operations and pay salaries.
According to the World Health Organization, less than 25 percent of health facilities are functioning in the Sudanese states most affected by the war, and only 45 percent of such facilities are fully functional in other states.
Further information
Full text: The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, condemns attacks at a hospital and livestock market in Al Fasher, North Darfur, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), press release, published July 29, 2024
https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami-condemns-attacks-hospital-and-livestock-market-al-fasher-north-darfur-enar
Full text: WHO condemns the increasing attacks on health care amid Sudan’s war, WHO, press release, published July 29, 2024
https://www.emro.who.int/sdn/sudan-news/who-condemns-the-increasing-attacks-on-health-care-amid-sudans-war.html