Tom Fletcher, the UN’s emergency relief coordinator, said he was “deeply alarmed” by reports of civilian casualties and forced displacement as heavy fighting engulfs the city.
“As fighters push deeper into the city and escape routes are cut off, hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped and terrified – bombed, starving and without access to food, health care or safety.” Mr Fletcher said in a statement on Sunday.
He called for “an immediate ceasefire in El Fasher, throughout Darfur and throughout Sudan,” stressing that civilians must be able to move around safely and humanitarian workers must be protected.
“Safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access must be allowed to reach all civilians in need,” he said. “We have vital supplies, but the intensification of attacks has made it impossible to deliver aid. Local aid workers continue to save lives under fire.»
City under siege
El Fasher, the last major town in Darfur still under government control, has been under siege for more than a year.
According to media reports, the RSF – a paramilitary group waging a brutal war against its former allies, the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) – claimed to have taken control of the town after seizing the headquarters of the army’s Sixth Division.
The Sudanese army has not yet commented, but the loss of El Fasher would mark a major setback for government forces and a potential turning point in the situation. civil war which has ravaged the country since April 2023.
The conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, displacing more than 11.7 million people, 4.2 million of whom have fled as refugees to neighboring countries, according to UN figures.
Numerous civilian casualties
United Nations agencies have reported large numbers of civilian casualties and repeated attacks on medical facilities in the region in recent weeks.
At least 20 people were killed in strikes on a mosque and the Saudi hospital – the city’s last functioning medical facility – earlier this month. This follows nearly 100 civilian deaths in September.
Hold perpetrators accountable
Mr Fletcher condemned the continued targeting of civilians, hospitals and humanitarian operations, urging all parties to respect international law.
“Those responsible for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law must be held accountable,” he said
He also reiterated the obligations set out in Security Council resolution 2736 (2024), which demands an end to the siege of El Fasherprotection of civilians and free humanitarian access throughout Sudan.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
