The United Nations is gravely alarmed by reports of intensified hostilities in and around El Fasher in North Darfur State in Sudan, including attacks in the past two days that resulted in civilian casualties.
Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, while briefing the media in New York on Tuesday, said that on Monday, shelling reportedly hit the Abu Shouk displacement camp, north of Al Fasher, killing and injuring civilians. “Famine is occurring in hot spots in at least five locations in Sudan – Abu Shouk is one of them, in addition to Zamzam and Al Salam camps in North Darfur, and host communities and camps for the internally displaced in the Western Nuba Mountains – that’s about 640,000 human beings living in these areas,” he reported. “The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is calling for urgent action to prevent the spread of famine in the country, particularly ahead of the lean and rainy season starting in just two months. It is critical that aid organizations have the safe and unimpeded access to people in need, wherever they are.”
“Currently, some 25 million people in Sudan are acutely food insecure, with the number of people facing hunger typically peaking during the lean and rainy season between June and September,” Dujarric added.
He highlighted that in addition to food and nutrition support, agricultural assistance is urgently needed to boost local food production and keep famine from spreading further.
“The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and its partners require more than $82 million to assist 7.5 million farmers and their families with seeds and other critical support this year, especially ahead of the planting season in June,” Dujarric emphasized. “With the rainy season starting soon, and flooding along key routes likely to compound access challenges, time is of the essence.”
According to the UN, the ongoing conflict in Sudan has shattered agricultural livelihoods – a lifeline for two-thirds of the population, disrupted market access, and left millions of farming families unable to plant or harvest. It has also destroyed critical infrastructure, forced families to flee their homes and land, and severely limited access to seeds, tools, and veterinary services. These challenges, compounded by economic decline and trade restrictions, have driven up food prices sharply, further reducing families’ access to food and basic services. “OCHA stresses that timely support to Sudan’s farmers is essential — not only to avert famine, particularly in the most at-risk areas, but also to restore livelihoods and build resilience among some of the country’s most vulnerable communities,” Dujarric said. “And the UN continues to reiterate that civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be a target. All parties must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and take utmost care to spare civilians and civilian objects from the effects of hostilities.”