Rising conflict in Sudan's North Darfur traps civilians, limits aid access: UN

New York [US], January 22: Escalating conflict in Sudan's North Darfur state trapped civilians and restricted humanitarian access, UN humanitarians said Wednesday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) expressed concern about the plight of thousands of civilians who are cut off from aid in North Darfur, as local partners reported that at least 2,000 families are trapped in the valleys of Wadi Qardi and Um Saad in the localities of Karnoi and Um Baru.
Meanwhile, the conflict forces civilians in the Kordofan region to flee. The International Organization for Migration estimated that nearly 3,000 people were displaced between Jan. 15 and Jan. 19 from the cities of Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan state, with some moving toward locations in White Nile state.
Famine conditions have been confirmed in Kadugli, with similarly extreme levels of food insecurity in Dilling, said the office.
OCHA said that in White Nile state, local authorities and humanitarian partners reported that nearly 2,000 displaced people had arrived in the city of Kosti over the past three weeks, placing more pressure on already overstretched services. Since late October, around 19,500 people have fled Kordofan to White Nile.
The office called on all parties to immediately protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and ensure rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access to people in need.
OCHA said the United Nations and its partners are scaling up assistance, including food rations, tents, mattresses, tarpaulins and water, as well as sanitation and hygiene services, but critical gaps remain due to funding shortages.
The office appealed for additional funding, so humanitarian partners can scale up life-saving assistance. In 2026, the United Nations and its partners in Sudan are calling for 2.9 billion U.S. dollars to reach more than 20 million people in need.
Source: Xinhua