UN Representative Urges Global Action to Safeguard Civilians Amid Rising Violence in Sudan's Zamzam Camp
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Synopsis
The UN has reported heightened violence in Zamzam camp, Sudan, urging for global action to protect civilians. The crisis escalates as humanitarian access is hampered, leaving many at risk.
Key Takeaways
- Escalating violence in Zamzam camp, Sudan.
- 500,000 displaced individuals living in dire conditions.
- UN calls for urgent international aid.
- WFP suspends food assistance amid security risks.
- Conflict has led to over 29,000 deaths.
United Nations, Feb 27 (NationPress) The violence surrounding Zamzam camp, a displacement camp in Sudan facing famine, has escalated significantly, as reported by a senior UN official who is advocating for enhanced international efforts to safeguard civilians.
Recent satellite images have verified the deployment of heavy artillery in the vicinity of Zamzam camp and the destruction of key market infrastructure, according to Edem Wosornu, director of Operations and Advocacy at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), who addressed the UN Security Council on Wednesday.
She noted, "Fearful civilians, including humanitarian aid workers, were trapped when the fighting escalated. Tragically, many lost their lives, including at least two humanitarian personnel," she stated.
Currently, an estimated 500,000 displaced individuals reside in Zamzam camp, where the conditions of famine were officially acknowledged by global experts last August.
The rising violence has compelled the World Food Programme (WFP) to temporarily suspend food assistance operations in the camp afflicted by famine, confirmed Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general.
According to a WFP statement released on Wednesday, "Severe shelling in Northern Darfur's Zamzam camp—the sole location globally recognized as experiencing famine—is obstructing the distribution of WFP food aid and endangering both civilians and aid workers."
The agency cautioned that without urgent assistance, thousands might face starvation in the coming weeks.
Earlier this week, the medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced the suspension of all activities in the famine-stricken camp due to the deteriorating security situation.
Wosornu also reported that, in southern Sudan, conflicts are spreading into new regions within North Kordofan and South Kordofan, raising risks for civilians and impeding humanitarian operations and supply deliveries. Civilians in the capital Khartoum continue to suffer from ongoing intense fighting.
Since mid-April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a devastating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), resulting in over 29,000 deaths, as reported by the Xinhua news agency, citing a crisis monitoring organization.
This conflict has displaced more than 15 million individuals, both internally and externally, according to estimates from the International Organization for Migration.
Wosornu remarked, "Nearly two years of unrelenting conflict in Sudan have caused immense suffering and transformed parts of the nation into a nightmarish landscape."
She urged the 15-member council to take swift action to ensure improved protection for Sudanese civilians and facilitate unhindered humanitarian access.
The magnitude of needs in Sudan is unprecedented and demands an equally unprecedented mobilization of international support, she emphasized.
