Sudan relief operations are 'on the brink of collapse,' UN migration agency warns

The U.N. migration agency warned on Tuesday that humanitarian efforts in Sudan's war-torn North Darfur region might come to a complete halt unless immediate funding and safe delivery of relief supplies are ensured.

“Despite the rising need, humanitarian operations are now on the brink of collapse,” the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement. It added: “Warehouses are nearly empty, aid convoys face significant insecurity, and access restrictions continue to prevent the delivery of sufficient aid.”

The IOM said more funding is needed to mitigate the humanitarian impact of the war between the Sudanese army and its rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The agency warned of “an even greater catastrophe" if its appeal went unheeded.

“Our teams are responding, but insecurity and depleted supplies mean we are only reaching a fraction of those in need,” IOM Director General Amy Pope said in a statement.

The RSF's recent capture of North Darfur's capital, el-Fasher, left hundreds dead and forced tens of thousands of people to flee reports of atrocities by the paramilitary force, according to aid groups and U.N. officials. The IOM said nearly 9O,000 people have left el-Fasher and surrounding villages, undertaking a perilous journey through unsafe routes where they have no access to food, water or medical assistance.

Tens of thousands of people have arrived at overcrowded displacement camps in Tawila, about 70 kilometers (43 miles) from el-Fasher. In the camps, the displaced find themselves in barren areas with few tents and insufficient food and medical supplies.

“We have been getting little food from community kitchens here; we only get lunch meals,” Sohaiba Omar, 20, told The Associated Press from a shelter in Diba Nayra camp in Tawila.

“We also need a nearby source of water and toilets. Disposing of our wastes in the open can make us fall sick and catch diseases like Cholera,” she added.

Batoul Mohamed, a 25-year-old volunteer at the camp, said: “The displaced are too many; they are also hungry. It is very difficult to have people come up to us saying that they could not eat because there not was not enough food.”

The violence has spread to other parts of Sudan including Western Darfur and the Kordofan region, forcing more people to flee their homes. Nearly 39,000 people fled the conflict in the North Kordofan from Oct. 26 and Nov. 9, according to the IOM.

The war between the RSF and the military began in 2023 when tensions erupted between the two former allies that were meant to oversee a democratic transition after a 2019 uprising. The fighting has killed at least 40,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, and displaced 12 million. However, aid groups say the true death toll could be many times higher.