UN warns of worsening siege, cholera outbreak in Sudan's Darfur

HAMILTON, Canada

The UN on Wednesday warned of a deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where civilians are facing a "worrying escalation of violence" and the spread of cholera amid the conflict.

Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference that violence against civilians has sharply increased in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.

"Local sources report that El-Fasher is now under siege from all directions," he said, and "the city's remaining residents are facing critical shortages of food and water."

He noted that markets are nearly empty and prices for limited goods have "skyrocketed."

Noting that humanitarian access remains "severely restricted," Dujarric reported that "earthen barriers erected around El-Fasher are blocking the movement of people and supplies."

"Earlier this week, local responders in El Fasher reported further closures of community kitchens, which had been serving as a last line of support for many families," he added.

In other parts of Sudan, insecurity continues to displace families, he said.

"In Blue Nile State, nearly 200 people fled their homes in the locality of At Tadamon on 11 October, as fighting spread across the area," said Dujarric.

Saying that the cholera crisis is worsening, Dujarric said since July last year, the Health Ministry has recorded "more than 3,400 deaths and nearly 122,000 suspected cases of this waterborne disease."

"Infection rates are rising across all states in the Darfur region," he warned, adding that the fatality rate is "well above emergency thresholds."

Dujarric urged all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and called for urgent international support, stating that OCHA's $4.2 billion appeal for Sudan is "less than 27% funded."