Death of 60 People and Womens Alliance Warns of Escalating Humanitarian Situation in Nyala
Moatinoon
At least 60 people have been killed and around 250 others injured, with 50,000 individuals fleeing the city of Nyala, the capital of South Darfur State in western Sudan. The city has been witnessing clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces for over a week.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan issued a press statement on Tuesday, stating that at least 60 people have been killed and 250 others injured due to clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces in Nyala city since August 14.
The statement added, Preliminary reports indicate that nearly 10,000 families - around 50,000 people - have fled their homes.
The statement also pointed out that workers at the Turkish hospital in the city, who are facing a shortage of staff, are facing extreme difficulty in dealing with the influx of wounded individuals.
The UN statement warned that the continued fighting could lead to the deterioration of the unstable humanitarian situation in the state, increasing the needs for health, nutrition, healthcare facilities, and food security for the most vulnerable groups, given the difficulty of accessing certain areas.
On its part, the Womens Alliance in Darfur issued an update on the security and humanitarian situation in Nyala yesterday, Tuesday.
The alliance stated that the fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces is still ongoing in Nyala city for the eleventh consecutive day. The sound of heavy and light weapons has been heard in various areas of the city and around the headquarters of the 16th Infantry Division since Tuesday morning.
The statement added that the army repelled an attack by the Rapid Support Forces during the past week and the beginning of this week from three axes, using all types of deadly weapons, heavy artillery, and drones, according to eyewitnesses. Residential neighborhoods were not spared from being hit by heavy artillery and stray ammunition, resulting in a large number of casualties and injuries among civilians.
The Womens Alliance stated in its statement that some of the wounded were treated at the Turkish hospital, the only facility that is still operational after all healthcare facilities in the city have stopped functioning. Others were transferred to Al-Daein, Bram, and Kass hospitals. The alliance revealed many cases of death due to the lack of necessary emergency services for the wounded, as hospitals are no longer operational.
The statement indicated that the ongoing confrontations have led to the displacement of a large number of residents from neighborhoods south and east of Nyala city, estimating the displaced at around 100,000 according to accounts from those who fled to Al-Daein and El Fasher, warning of the humanitarian situations danger with the continued military buildup.
The statement stated that the humanitarian conditions have worsened due to the military escalation between the two sides, with markets except for the Jeninah Market and parts of the Jebel Market being closed, and communication networks being cut off. The security situation makes it difficult to obtain food and medicine, exposing civilians to slow death due to hunger and disease.
