Humanitarian crisis escalates as sudan blocks aid to war-torn Darfur
Authorities aligned with the army in conflict-ridden Sudan have obstructed cross-border aid to the beleaguered Darfur region, sparking condemnation from aid organizations and the United States.
The expansive Darfur region, which shares its borders with Chad, has borne the brunt of Sudan’s warfare over the past ten months, pitting the Sudanese Armed Forces against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Descendants of the notorious Janjaweed militia, responsible for a brutal campaign in Darfur over two decades ago, the RSF has, in the current conflict initiated last April, seized control of four out of the five Darfur state capitals.
Despite over 694,000 people fleeing to Chad, as reported by the International Organization for Migration, a substantial number remains trapped in Darfur, desperately in need of assistance.
Expressing deep concern, the United States State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, denounced the army’s decision to block cross-border humanitarian aid and alleged obstruction of assistance to RSF-controlled areas.
Sudan’s foreign ministry, aligned with the army, dismissed these accusations as “false” and expressed confusion, asserting that the Sudan-Chad border serves as a primary route for weapons and equipment contributing to atrocities against Sudanese civilians.
A United Nations report in January implicated the United Arab Emirates in funneling military support to the RSF through Chad, allegations vehemently denied by the UAE.
The State Department’s Miller also highlighted RSF’s reported looting of homes, markets, and humanitarian aid warehouses. In Brussels, Eddie Rowe, the country director of the UN’s World Food Programme, engaged with authorities to ensure the crucial cross-border lifeline from Chad remains operational.
International aid workers on the ground in Darfur underscored the urgency of the situation, emphasizing the looming threat of hunger, malnutrition, and potential large-scale mortality. Amidst a civil war, ethnic violence, and the collapse of state services, the aid worker stressed the need for immediate diplomatic intervention to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in a region already grappling with a severe food security crisis.
As the conflict has claimed thousands of lives, with up to 15,000 casualties reported in the West Darfur city of El Geneina alone, the international community faces mounting concerns. Accusations of war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity have been directed at both warring factions by Washington, intensifying the urgency for a resolution and humanitarian assistance in Darfur.
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