Sudan: 89,000 civilians have fled El Fasher

Since the Rapid Support Forces militia – which has been battling the military government – captured El Fasher after more than 500 days of siege in late October, nearly 89,000 people have fled from Tawila, Melit, Saraf Omra, and other localities.

Some families have sought refuge in Tina, near the Sudan-Chad border, where already overwhelmed host communities and UN partners are preparing for new arrivals, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told correspondents in New York.

Meanwhile, violence is increasing in the Kordofan region, resulting in mounting civilian casualties and new waves of displacement.

The UN called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities” as well as the protection of civilians and aid workers, an end to hospital and civilian infrastructure attacks and unhindered access to aid.

De-escalation bid

The UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan Ramtane Lamamra has invited the combatants to enter technical talks with the UN focused on de-escalation and the protection of civilians, Mr. Haq told journalists.

The envoy has held consultations with the African Union, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Emirates, the United States and others.

The UN is working with partners on securing a ceasefire following two and a half years of brutal war, unimpeded humanitarian access and to get the parties to de-escalate the situation but “so far there’s been no real progress to report,” Mr. Haq added.

Climate compounds conflict

The crisis on the Chad-Sudan border is further intensified by the impact of climate change, as links grow between conflict and the climate emergency, according to a new report released on Monday by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).

By the middle of this year, 117 million people had been displaced by war, violence and persecution worldwide, while some 250 million have been internally displaced due to weather-related disasters over the past decade, according to the report.

Sudanese who have sought refuge Chad face a desperate humanitarian situation. Those who recently arrived receive less than 10 litres of water a day – far below emergency standards, says the agency.

Chad and South Sudan, where nearly 1.3 million have fled to from Sudan since the rival militaries began fighting in April 2023, are among the countries least equipped to cope with the climate emergency.