(MENAFN) The United Nations issued a stark warning on Wednesday about the deepening humanitarian emergency in Sudan, where civilians are confronting a "worrying escalation of violence" alongside a growing cholera outbreak amid ongoing conflict.

According to reports from the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated at a press briefing that attacks on civilians have sharply intensified in El-Fasher, the main city of North Darfur.

"Local sources report that El-Fasher is now under siege from all directions," he said, emphasizing that "the city's remaining residents are facing critical shortages of food and water."

He highlighted that local markets are almost depleted, with the prices of the few available goods having "skyrocketed."

Pointing out the severe limitations on humanitarian aid, Dujarric noted that "earthen barriers erected around El-Fasher are blocking the movement of people and supplies."

"Earlier this week, local responders in El Fasher reported further closures of community kitchens, which had been serving as a last line of support for many families," he added.
Elsewhere in Sudan, insecurity continues to force families to flee their homes.

"In Blue Nile State, nearly 200 people fled their homes in the locality of At Tadamon on 11 October, as fighting spread across the area," Dujarric said.

The cholera situation is also intensifying. Dujarric explained that since July of last year, the Health Ministry has documented "more than 3,400 deaths and nearly 122,000 suspected cases of this waterborne disease."

"Infection rates are rising across all states in the Darfur region," he warned, adding that the fatality rate is "well above emergency thresholds."

Urging all parties to comply with international humanitarian law, Dujarric called for immediate global assistance, noting that OCHA’s $4.2 billion appeal for Sudan is "less than 27% funded."

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