Due to the fighting, thousands of civilians are trapped without a safe haven to turn to
Sudan Events – Agencies
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reported that thousands of civilians remain trapped in the city of El Fasher in Sudan due to the intensity of the fighting. The ICRC stated that the Saudi Hospital, the only functioning hospital in the city, has been repeatedly attacked, and medical supplies are running out.
The ICRC also mentioned that despite numerous efforts, they have not been able to deliver humanitarian aid to the city to this day. The committee urged the warring parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and to facilitate the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to the population.
The ICRC revealed that it has been impossible to deliver essential supplies, such as food and medical supplies, via humanitarian aid trucks and commercial vehicles, due to the inaccessibility of the main supply routes surrounding El Fasher. The committee stated that hundreds of thousands of displaced people, who have lost their livelihoods and access to agricultural lands in areas like Zamzam Camp, are now starving, as food shortages have reached critical levels. Humanitarian organizations must be able to reach vulnerable communities in Zamzam Camp and other locations to provide relief supplies before it is too late.
The ICRC urged the warring parties to open more supply routes to ensure the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid and the movement of essential commercial goods to El Fasher, Al Obeid, Sennar, Al Jazirah, and other conflict-affected areas.
The committee welcomed the decision by Sudanese authorities to reopen the Adré crossing between Chad and Sudan for three months to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Darfur region, considering it an important and encouraging development. The three-month period coincides with the rainy season, which naturally complicates access due to heavy rains and sudden floods. The ICRC urged the parties to keep the Adré crossing open to ensure the flow of aid.
The authorities were also urged to promptly communicate the procedures for cross-border operations and to reduce bureaucratic obstacles so that humanitarian organizations can fully capitalize on this opportunity to deliver urgent humanitarian aid.
The ICRC called on all parties to fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law and to consider finding a comprehensive solution for cross-border humanitarian operations to ensure safe and sustainable access to humanitarian aid.
