Khartoum, September 01 (Darfur24)
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that escalating violence in Blue Nile, Kordofan and West Darfur is putting civilians at risk and forcing thousands from their homes.
In Blue Nile State, local authorities estimate that nearly 22,000 people have been displaced from Qaysan locality over the past week as fighting intensifies. Some have sought shelter in schools, while others have fled to Damazin and other areas.
In North Kordofan, attacks on villages northeast and northwest of El Obeid have reportedly caused civilian casualties and displacement, while looting of civilian property and livestock has also been reported. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said about 450 people were displaced from parts of the state on Sunday.
The UN also reported injuries from a drone strike in eastern El Obeid.
In West Darfur, a drone strike on a fuel market in Adikonq, near the Chadian border, killed 13 civilians, including three Chadian nationals, and injured dozens, according to local sources. The attack also damaged civilian property.
Renewed fighting in South Kordofan has also displaced families from several areas, amid continued clashes between the Sudanese army and forces allied with the Rapid Support Forces.
Meanwhile, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan Denise Brown described the detention of humanitarian workers by non-state armed groups as “unacceptable,” warning that such detentions endanger aid workers and disrupt essential humanitarian operations. She called for their immediate and unconditional release.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric also urged all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, respect international humanitarian law and ensure humanitarian organizations can operate safely and independently.