Damazin, September 12 (Darfur24)
The Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid in the Blue Nile region, Qisma Abdel Karim, warned that the region faces mounting humanitarian pressures due to inadequate donor funding, rising numbers of displaced people and returnees from South Sudan, and damage to host communities.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday in Damazin on the humanitarian situation and conditions of displaced people, Abdel Karim said the Blue Nile has 12 main camps and shelters for displaced people, most of them in Damazin, while Al-Rusayris also hosts displaced people in several camps and temporary shelters, including centres established inside schools.
She said some displaced people remain trapped in areas affected by fighting, particularly Kurmuk, Qaysan and Baw, with the availability of humanitarian assistance varying by location and the needs of displaced communities.
Abdel Karim said services for displaced people from Kurmuk had been relocated to the Al-Karama 3 camp, while the Federal Humanitarian Aid Commission was providing food and shelter supplies to people stranded in their villages.
She added that displaced people from Qaysan are currently sheltering in Al-Rusayris, including at Al-Mukhtar School, as well as in Wad Al-Mahi and camps in Damazin. Assistance is being provided based on their circumstances and locations, she said.
The commissioner stressed that the Humanitarian Aid Commission was coordinating with humanitarian partners and relevant state authorities to ensure that displaced and affected populations receive necessary assistance.
She identified inadequate donor funding and support as one of the main challenges facing the humanitarian response, amid growing numbers of displaced people and returnees from South Sudan and increasing pressure on host communities.
The Blue Nile region has witnessed heavy fighting between the Sudanese army and allied forces on one side, and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and its Rapid Support Forces (RSF) ally on the other, particularly in Qaysan and Kurmuk, which the SPLM and RSF seized in August.
The recent fighting has forced thousands of civilians to flee combat zones towards Damazin and other parts of the region, further increasing humanitarian needs among displaced people and host communities.