Renewed fighting in Sudan chokes aid delivery: UN

Report at China.org.cn
By Xinhua
Published Wednesday 23 August 2023 - here is a full copy:

Renewed fighting in Sudan chokes aid delivery: UN

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- UN humanitarians on Tuesday called for an end to renewed clashes in the Sudan conflict to allow for aid delivery to civilians, including in South Darfur and South Kordofan.

"We are deeply concerned about the impact of renewed fighting in several parts of the country," said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

OCHA said the International Organization for Migration reported at least 60 people killed and 250 injured in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state. As many as 50,000 people fled their homes, and hostilities blocked relief trucks from delivering aid.

Fighting erupted about a week ago between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in the western part of Sudan.

According to the Nyala Emergency Room Initiative humanitarian group, the city is experiencing "catastrophic humanitarian conditions beyond all expectations."

OCHA said that in the capital of South Kordofan state, Kadugli, humanitarian partners reported food stocks were almost completely depleted and that fighting drove some 6,700 people from their homes to other neighborhoods.

"We call on the parties to the conflict in Sudan to cease hostilities and allow for the delivery of life-saving assistance to civilians in need," said the office.

OCHA said only a little more than a quarter of this year's 2.6 billion-U.S. dollar Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan has been received. Enditem

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View original: http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2023-08/23/content_106464030.htm

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Sudan Ocha: SAF & RSF clashes in Nyala, South Darfur

Press Release from OCHA - OCHASudan@un.org

Flash Update No. 01 

SUDAN: SAF & RSF clashes in Nyala, South Darfur (21 August 2023)

Monday 21 August 2023 - here is a full copy:

Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Nyala Town, South Darfur State

HIGHLIGHTS

• Renewed clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Nyala Town since 11 August 2023 are continuing to fuel displacement of the civilian population.

• Up to 50,000 people have fled their homes in Nyala Town due to the fighting.

• At least 60 people have been killed and 250 others injured due to the clashes.

• Staff at the Turkish Hospital have been overwhelmed by the number of injured seeking assistance.

• Trucks loaded with humanitarian supplies are unable to travel to Nyala Town due to the fighting.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

From 11 to 17 August 2023, renewed clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Nyala Town, the state capital of South Darfur State, have displaced thousands of people to other areas, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM). 

Preliminary reports indicate that approximately 10,000 families – about 50,000 people –  fled their homes in the Al-Mazad, Tayba, Seka Hadeed, Al-Jabal, Neil, Karrari, Musa and Texas neighbourhoods of Nyala Town to Hai Al-Jeer, Al-Nahda, As Salam, Derwa and Kangho neighbourhoods in the town; and to the As Salam, Al Serief, Otash and Kalma displacement camps in Beliel and Nyala Shimal localities in South Darfur. 

People have also fled to Tulus, Buram, As Salam and Damso localities in South Darfur, as well as to Shia'ria locality and Ad Du’ayn Town in East Darfur and Al Fasher Town in North Darfur. 

At least 60 people have been killed and 250 others injured during the fighting, according to IOM.
 
Staff at the Turkish Hospital – which is already understaffed – are reportedly struggling to cope with the influx of wounded people, and humanitarian partners on the ground report that medical supplies are running low.
 


Trucks loaded with nutrition, health, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies destined for Nyala Town have remained in Ad Du'ayn Town, the capital of East Darfur, since 14 August due to the fighting, and planned distributions by UNICEF have been postponed. 

There are concerns that continued fighting will cause the already precarious humanitarian situation in the state to deteriorate and heighten the health, nutrition, sanitation and food security needs of the vulnerable. Meanwhile, some areas could become inaccessible if roads become impassable during the ongoing rainy season.


Gathering information from Nyala Town in recent days has been challenging, as communication towers have reportedly been damaged during the fighting, and the electricity and water systems in the town are no longer functioning.
 


Background 


Nyala Town is located in Nyala Janoub locality, South Darfur State. An estimated 401,000 people live in the locality, of whom about 95,000 needed humanitarian assistance even before the conflict, according to the 2023 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO).

Download the Flash Update here:

https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/sudan/flash-update/6pAVMP3Q8Fckx2PGKNkZA1/

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https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/sudan/flash-update/6pAVMP3Q8Fckx2PGKNkZA1/

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Medics whipped in Khartoum after convoy attacked. Darfur death toll in one city alone estimate is 3K-11K

Report from BBC News -  bbc.co.uk/news

By Muthoni Muchiri

BBC News

Published Friday 21 July 2023 - here is a full copy:

Sudan conflict: Medics whipped in Khartoum after convoy attacked - MSF

IMAGE SOURCE,

MSF/REUTERS

Image caption,

MSF medics are treating war-wounded across Sudan - and over the border in Chad where many from Darfur are fleeing

Medics in Sudan's capital have been beaten and whipped by armed men who attacked their convoy, medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) says.

A medical team was taking supplies to the Turkish Hospital in the south of Khartoum when it was attacked on Thursday and one their vehicles stolen.

Since the war erupted in mid-April, it is one of only two hospitals still operating in the south of city.

Both are supported by MSF, which says its aid to them is now in jeopardy.

The vicious power struggle over the last three months between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has devastated medical facilities in the city.

'Death threats'

While more than three million people nationwide have fled their homes since April, millions of others are still stuck in Khartoum, struggling to find medicine and medical assistance.

MSF is one of only a few international aid groups still supporting hospitals in Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman, helping to keep afloat a health system that has been under strain for decades.

It says it has treated more than 1,600 patients in these hospitals since the conflict began.

But the charity warned this might have to stop because of a dramatic deterioration in security with several incidents in which its staff had been targeted.

During the encounter on Thursday, the armed men began arguing with the 18 people in the MSF convoy made up of four trucks carrying medical supplies.

As well as assaulting the team, the armed men threatened the life of one of the drivers before releasing him and making off with one of the vehicles.

"If an incident like this happens again, and if our ability to move supplies continues to be obstructed, then, regrettably, our presence in the Turkish Hospital will soon become untenable," MSF's Christophe Garnier said in a statement.

The confrontation took place not far from the hospital, where hundreds of patients, including those recently wounded in air strikes, are undergoing treatment.

"On a daily basis, this hospital receives around 15 war wounded patients, carries out lifesaving surgery and keeps patients with chronic diseases alive," MSF said.

According to the AFP news agency, the hospital is in an area of the city controlled by the RSF.

Aerial bombardments have intensified in residential areas of Khartoum where the paramilitary fighters have their bases, it says.

Official figures put the number of dead in the conflict at around 3,000, but it is thought to be far higher.

Some estimates from the western region of Darfur, which have seen the worst of the violence, say the death toll in one city alone is 11,000.

View original: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-66273266

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