Sudan: UN relief chief calls Darfur the “epicentre of human suffering”
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, described Sudan’s Darfur region as the “epicentre of human suffering” after concluding a visit to the country today. Briefing reporters from Adré, Chad, Mr. Fletcher said the week spent in Darfur aimed to confront the perils civilians face daily, unlock humanitarian access to the hardest-hit communities, and demand a vigorous international response.
In recent days, the Under-Secretary-General met with people who fled the violence in El Fasher, the state capital of North Darfur, as well as community volunteers supporting them at displacement sites. “El Fasher, based on the testimonies I heard from many survivors, is basically a crime scene right now,” he told journalists.
More than 100,000 people have been displaced from El Fasher and surrounding villages since 26 October, when the Rapid Support Forces took over the city, according to the latest figures from the International Organization for Migration, while many of those who fled remain unaccounted for. Fletcher heard harrowing accounts from survivors of atrocities in El Fasher and said that people seeking refuge in Korma arrive in appalling conditions after a dangerous journey. He underscored the urgency of ensuring they receive food, water, and medicine they need.
“El Fasher, based on the testimonies I heard from many survivors, is basically a crime scene right now.”