More Displacement in Sudan as Battles Intensify

Alsharq Tribune- Zainab Hussin

At least 12 people were killed and other wounded in Sudan’s North Kordofan as the army launched air strikes and drone attacks on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The fighting sparked a wave of displacement to the city of El Obeid.

Military troops continued to mobilize on the Kordofan and Blue Nile fronts, a sign that more fighting was to come.

Witnesses said the army launched airstrikes on RSF positions in North Kordofan and the Blue Nile at a time when ground fighting had eased between the two warring parties.

The two sides had been relying increasingly on drones in the war.

The army and its allied forces have been focusing on expanding their control in North Kordofan and securing the surroundings of El Obeid.

The RSF is positioned in areas west and south of the city.

The latest strikes were aimed at stemming any possible renewed fighting in the area.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that ongoing violence in Sudan continues to kill civilians and force more people from their homes.

In North Kordofan State, local authorities reported that more than a dozen civilians were killed and others injured in clashes in Um Arada town, southwest of the state capital El Obeid, on Friday, OCHA said in a statement.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that more than 4,200 people were displaced from the town and surrounding areas on Friday and Saturday.

Increased violence across North Kordofan is also affecting humanitarian operations, forcing humanitarian partners to suspend activities in Al Mazroub locality, which is facing a cholera outbreak.

Meanwhile, in Blue Nile State, renewed fighting was reported in Geisan and Kurmuk towns and surrounding areas last week. IOM says that about 5,400 people were displaced in recent days.

OCHA once again “called on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to allow aid to reach people quickly, safely and without obstruction.” “Despite the insecurity, the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to deliver assistance to people in need.

Across the Darfur region, the World Food Program reached about 2.3 million people with food assistance last month,” said OCHA.

OCHA continues to urge donors to provide additional funding for the humanitarian response.

This year's humanitarian appeal for Sudan remains about 41 percent funded, with $1.2 billion received against the $2.9 billion required, added the statement.