Sudan relief operations ‘on brink of collapse’

Cairo: The UN migration agency warned on Tuesday that humanitarian efforts in Sudan’s war-torn North Darfur region might come to a complete halt unless immediate funding and safe delivery of relief supplies are ensured.

“Despite the rising need, humanitarian operations are now on the brink of collapse,” the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said in a statement. It added: “Warehouses are nearly empty, aid convoys face significant insecurity, and access restrictions continue to prevent the delivery of sufficient aid.”

The IOM said more funding is needed to mitigate the humanitarian impact of the war between the Sudanese army and its rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The agency warned of “an even greater catastrophe” if its appeal went unheeded.

“Our teams are responding, but insecurity and depleted supplies mean we are only reaching a fraction of those in need,” IOM Director General Amy Pope said in a statement.

The RSF’s recent capture of North Darfur’s capital, el-Fasher, left hundreds dead and forced tens of thousands of people to flee, according to reports of atrocities by the paramilitary force, according to aid groups and UN officials. The IOM said nearly 90,000 people have left el-Fasher and surrounding villages, undertaking a perilous journey through unsafe routes where they have no access to food, water or

medical assistance.