A severe humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in Sudan’s North Darfur, where tens of thousands of displaced people are facing desperate shortages of food, water, and shelter, according to warnings from international agencies and testimonies from those who have fled escalating violence.
The crisis has intensified following the capture of Al Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), an event that left hundreds dead and triggered a massive new wave of displacement. Tens of thousands have now flooded into already overcrowded camps in Tawila, located approximately 70 kilometers from Al Fasher, straining scarce resources to a breaking point.
The United Nations migration agency has issued a stark alert, stating that humanitarian operations in the region are on the brink of total collapse. Without an immediate influx of support and funding, thousands could be left without any means of survival.
“We are in urgent need of water. It’s more important than anything else. Right now, we are suffering from a lack of water,” one displaced resident in Tawila said. “We also need toilets because relieving ourselves in the open exposes us to disease such as cholera and others.”
The dire conditions extend beyond water and sanitation. Displaced families, many of whom arrived with nothing, are also facing a critical lack of medical care and basic necessities, especially with the onset of the winter season.
“We also need medicine because there are a lot of people here who are sick, suffering a lot, and in need of treatment. We need mattresses and blankets as well since this is the winter season, and we came here with nothing,” the resident added.
The surge of new arrivals has overwhelmed the limited aid available. Charity kitchens, a vital source of sustenance, are unable to meet the soaring demand. “Some people say they haven’t had any food, and honestly, there are so many displaced people who need greater support,” another displaced person stated. “We call on international organizations and other humanitarian ones to support the charity kitchens so that they can cover a larger number of newly displaced people.”
The United Nations has echoed the calls from the ground, emphasizing that more funding is urgently needed to curb the humanitarian fallout from Sudan’s ongoing brutal war. The organization has warned that without immediate intervention, the situation will escalate into an even greater catastrophe, leaving the most vulnerable without any lifeline.