Sudan: UN agencies report that a preliminary agreement has been reached to reach El Fasher

Speaking to reporters in Geneva today, Friday, from Rome, the Director of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Department at the World Food Program, Ross Smith, said that the little information currently available about the conditions in El Fasher “Absolutely horrific” Confirming that between 70 and 100 thousand people “They may still be trapped inside the city.”

Rapid Support Forces fighters invaded El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, in October, after a siege that lasted more than 500 days.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights warned at the time that the ordeal forced people to eat peanut shells and animal feed, while satellite footage showed bloodstains resulting from mass killings of civilians and executions on a tribal basis. So far, relief teams have not been able to reach the city.

Initial agreement to enter the crime scene

Mr. Smith stressed that securing humanitarian access is an urgent priority in light of the disruption of communications networks, which has greatly prevented communication with those still inside El Fasher. He explained that the testimonies of survivors “She describes the city as a crime scene filled with mass killings, burned corpses and abandoned markets.”

And he said: “We have demanded, and are still demanding, to enter El Fasher, without hindrance, to respond urgently to those still trapped in the city. I understand from yesterday’s discussions that we have reached a preliminary agreement with the Rapid Support Forces on a set of minimum conditions for entering the city; therefore, we expect to be able to do so very soon, to conduct some initial assessments and reconnaissance. After more than a year and a half of siege, the elements for survival have been completely destroyed.”

A tragic situation in Tawila

Mr. Smith pointed out that those who managed to flee El Fasher risked their lives on roads “Full of mines and unexploded ordnance.” Many have arrived at shelter in the Tawila area, which until recently was a small desert town but has now become “A huge, sprawling displacement camp” It includes more than 650,000 people, while other displaced people took refuge in the Al-Dabba area in the northern state.

As UN humanitarian teams and partners continue to press to reach all those in need, Mr. Smith said relief convoys supported by the World Food Program are heading to Tawila now, carrying enough aid for 700,000 people for a month.

He added: “These are families who have suffered from starvation for many months, have been exposed to mass atrocities, and are now living in overcrowded living conditions with very limited support. There is not enough shelter for people, and many are forced to stay in very temporary accommodation: huts made of straw, grass, etc. Cholera and other diseases are also widespread.”

Siege and displacement in Kordofan

Sudan is witnessing the largest displacement crisis in the world, with more than 12 million people displaced inside and outside the country. In a disturbing statement issued on Friday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees noted the deterioration of the security situation in the neighboring Kordofan region since December 1. After a week of intense fighting, the Rapid Support Forces reportedly took control of a Sudanese Armed Forces base in the city of Babanusa, Western Kordofan.

UNHCR said that civilians in South Kordofan are still trapped in Kadugli and Dilling. “While women, children and the elderly find ways to flee, men and youth are often left behind due to the serious risks they face along escape routes, such as arrest by armed groups on suspicion of belonging to parties to the conflict.”

The latest data indicates that more than 40,000 people have been displaced from North Kordofan since November 18. UNHCR said that it is responding, through its partners on the ground, to the urgent needs of the displaced. “But access is still difficult, and resources are very scarce.”