Humanitarian charity deplores Darfur massacre
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - A humanitarian charity on Monday deplored the recent armed attacks on displaced civilians that left at least 168 people dead and thousands displaced in the restive West Darfur state.
According to the Norwegian Refugees Council (NRC), the armed violence that broke out on Friday in Kreinik town, West Darfur, has displaced tens of thousands of people.
“Towns in West Darfur are burning before our eyes, and communities are being assaulted over and over. This tragedy is quickly becoming a catastrophe. The deadly spiraling violence must end,” Will Carter, Country Director for the NRC in Sudan, said in a statement on Monday.
The statement said most families affected by the fighting in Kreinik town were already displaced by prior violence. Many saw their homes set ablaze five months ago in a previous attack and have since been living in makeshift settlements.
NRC fears the violence could spread beyond Kreinik to reach West Darfur’s state capital, Al Genaina. The city hosts about 100,000 displaced people, many of whom are living in makeshift tents, with nothing to protect them against stray bullets or violence.
“We call on all parties to immediately de-escalate and restrain from further harming civilians. Safe and free passage of fleeing civilians and access for humanitarian assistance must be urgently restored,” said Carter.
“After experiencing brutal violence, these communities are once again left neglected and vulnerable, with no protection or accountability. The entire Darfur region is quickly sinking into conflict and needs urgent attention from the international community.”
NRC argued that over the past months insecurity has spread across at least three areas of West Darfur, as well as in the neighboring states of North and South Darfur.
The violence in Darfur is threatening the upcoming harvest season. Over 18 million people are likely to face acute food insecurity by September across Sudan because of the combined effects of insecurity, economic crisis and poor harvests.
The UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres and the Special Representative of the Secretary General in the Sudan, Mr. Volker Parthes, have also deplored the heinous killings of civilians as well as the attacks on health facilities.
-0- PANA MO/MA 26April2022
