OCHA Reports: Renewed Conflict Claims Lives Of 27 Civilians In Sudan's North Darfur

(MENAFN- AzerNews) On the morning of 10 May 2024, clashes between the SudaneseArmed Forces (SAF) and forces from the armed movements against theRapid Support Forces (RSF) renewed in Al Fasher, North DarfurState, Azernews reports citing to the officialwebsite of the United Nations Office for the Coordination ofHumanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The clashes, including airstrikes and the use of heavy weapons,started mid-morning in the eastern part of Al Fasher Town andcontinued until 6:30 pm. The clashes extended into the centre ofthe town, the outskirts of the main market, and into neighbourhoodsresulting in civilian deaths and injuries. An estimated 850 people(170 families) were displaced to various locations across Al Fasherlocality due to the clashes, according to the InternationalOrganization for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix (IOMDTM)Flash Alert: Conflict in Al Fasher locality report. People havereportedly fled from areas to the east and northwest of Al FasherTown to areas south of the town. Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs)and the Coordination Council on the ground in Al Fasher are tryingto respond to the affected people. Although the clashes havestopped, there are concerns they may resume soon.

The people wounded have sought treatment at the Al Fasher SouthHospital in Al Fasher Town. Unconfirmed reports indicate that atleast 27 people have been killed, including women and children,while about 130 people have been injured. The hospital, which has a100-bed capacity, has surpassed its maximum capacity. During thefighting, the hospital did not have an ambulance to transport theinjured people and it has limited medical equipment and medicinesneeded to treat the injured and no surgical supplies. Humanitariansare currently assessing the situation, the needs, and the capacityto respond to the needs of people affected by the conflict.

Between 1 and 18 April, over 40,600 people were reportedlydisplaced within Al Fasher locality following inter-tribal conflictand clashes between SAF and RSF in multiple locations across AlFasher, Kebkabiya and Kutum localities, according to the IOM DTMSudan Focused Flash Alert, North Darfur report.

Humanitarian access into Al Fasher has been severely constraineddue to disruptions in crossline and cross-border access. So far in2024, only 39 trucks reached Al Fasher via crossline andcross-border through OCHA-coordinated movements. The truckstransported health, nutrition and food supplies for an estimated186,000 people. Some 1,500 MT of non-food items (NFIs) at the Tinecrossing point have been waiting for approval for onward movementfor three weeks, depriving more than 94,000 people of assistance addition, the 13 trucks carrying health, nutrition and NFIsupplies for over 121,000 people dispatched from Port Sudan on 3April are still en route to Al Fasher due to delays in gettingclearances at checkpoints, and more recently insecurity.

Even before these most recent developments, more than a year ofconflict and persistent access obstructions hampering the sustaineddelivery of aid and other basic commodities has exacerbated thehumanitarian crisis in Darfur, home to 9 million people inneed.

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