The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a UN agency, revealed on Sunday that the number of displaced persons from El Fasher in North Darfur State has risen to over one million.
Since May 2024, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have launched attacks on most villages and areas surrounding El Fasher as part of their attempts to seize control of the city. These efforts have included the destruction of water sources, blockades, and widespread violations.
In a statement quoted by “Sudan Tribune,” the IOM reported that 1,014,748 people have been displaced from the El Fasher locality, accounting for more than 10% of the total internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan.
The organization noted that 718,998 people — the equivalent of 155,602 families — have fled from El Fasher city and the Zamzam camp.
It disclosed that 99% of the population of Zamzam camp, located 12 kilometers southwest of El Fasher, has been displaced — totaling 498,955 people, of whom 436,685 fled to 26 sites across four different states.
The IOM stated that 75% of the displaced from Zamzam camp moved to Tawila, an area controlled by the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur, while 10% fled to El Fasher, and the rest crossed the border into Chad.
The organization said it had documented 117 incidents that caused or triggered displacement in North Darfur since the outbreak of the conflict, with 85% linked to attacks or armed clashes, and the remainder caused by natural hazards such as floods and fires.
The IOM estimated that 1,974,958 people are currently displaced in North Darfur, representing 20% of all internally displaced persons in Sudan. Among them, 46% live in shelters, 29% with host families, and the rest are staying in schools, public facilities, temporary shelters, or rented homes.
The organization anticipated that waves of displacement will continue due to ongoing clashes, particularly from El Fasher to Tawila, Mellit, and Kutum. It also expected that cross-border movement into Chad will persist, especially with families being displaced repeatedly.
