Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency Provides Alarming Figures on Darfur in Geneva
Sudan Events – Talal Mudathir
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned that Darfur’s rising death toll and grave human rights violations against innocent civilians are worsening after six months of bloody conflict in Sudan.
Eugene Byun, a spokesperson for the UNHCR, stated during a press conference held today, Thursday, at the United Nations Palace in Geneva, that at least 4,000 civilians have been killed and 8,400 others injured in Darfur between April 15 and the end of August. Most are believed to have been targeted primarily due to their ethnic affiliation, especially in Western Darfur.
She revealed that at least 29 cities, towns, and villages across Darfur have suffered destruction through widespread looting and burning. Additionally, 139 civilian structures, including communal water points, schools, markets, and hospitals, have been damaged or looted. Deliberate attacks on medical personnel attempting to provide services through temporary clinics in private homes have also been reported.
The UNHCR renewed its call to all parties in the Sudanese conflict to protect civilians, including refugees and internally displaced persons, and to ensure the safe passage of humanitarian assistance. They emphasized the urgent need to end this conflict.
