Panafrican News Agency

Sudan:UNAMID reports growing number of displaced persons in North, Central Darfur

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The UN-AU peacekeeping mission in Darfur said Wednesday the number of civilians seeking refuge within the vicinity of its site in North Darfur has increased by over 50 percent in just a day.

Civilians seeking refuge in the vicinity of UNAMID’s Sortoni team site, North Darfur, has increased to 14,770, including 1,493 men, 4,097 women and 9,180 children, the mission said in a press release made available to PANA in Khartoum.

"These figures represent more than 52 per cent increase in just 24 hours which has, reportedly, been caused by intensified aerial bombings carried out during the afternoon of 25 January 2016," it explained.

On 26 January, the World Food Programme (WFP) and national non-governmental organisations arrived at the Mission’s base in Sortoni to carry out a rapid verification and humanitarian needs assessment exercise.

In addition, 13 newly displaced families have arrived at Rwanda internally displaced persons' camp in Tawila, North Darfur, raising the number of recently displaced persons there to 3,264. Aid organizations are providing the displaced with emergency humanitarian assistance.

Furthermore, on 26 January, the Mission received information that 19 villages near Rockero, north Jebel Marra in Central Darfur, were burned down during fighting.

Many residents of these villages have fled to Sortoni, Kabkabiya and Tawila, while others sought shelter in surrounding mountains while many children were reported to have gone missing.

Meanwhile, UNAMID is working with relevant local authorities on inter-agency assessment missions to Nertiti, Central Darfur, and surrounding areas, including Thur, where the influx of displaced civilians is reportedly increasing.

"The Mission remains constantly engaged with the civilians displaced by the ongoing fighting between government forces and armed movements in Jebel Marra," the statement added.
-0- PANA MO/AR 27Jan2016