El Fasher, August 19(Darfur 24)
The Humanitarian Aid Commissioner in North Darfur State revealed on Tuesday that 845,000 civilians in El Fasher are facing what he described as “catastrophic” conditions due to the siege imposed by the Rapid (RSF) Support Forces for more than 18 months.
Abbas Yousef Adam told Darfur 24 that El Fasher previously housed approximately one and a half million people, noting that the majority fled due to the ongoing confrontation between the warring parties in the city.
He explained that the siege imposed by RSF on the city for more than 18 months has doubled the population still trapped in the conflict.
Adam noted that the Humanitarian Aid Commission extended the Adre border crossing with Chad for more months to facilitate the passage of aid to those affected by the war throughout Sudan, including areas under RSF control . However, the latter continued to prevent aid from reaching El Fasher.
He added that “UN relief agencies and international organizations working in the humanitarian field are a politicized mechanism that operates with double standards, given their silence regarding the Rapid Support Forces’ insistence on preventing aid from reaching El Fasher.”
He stated that El Fasher, before the war, housed at least 25 international organizations, of which only four remain now. He indicated that the State Humanitarian Aid Commission has allowed more than 50 humanitarian trucks to cross for those fleeing to a number of localities under the control of the Rapid Support Forces.
The government official called on the international community to urge the Rapid Support Forces to allow the passage of humanitarian aid to save the lives of civilians trapped in El Fasher.