North Darfur faces severe famine according to famine review committee

The ongoing violence in Sudan has lasted for more than 15 months, causing significant obstacles to humanitarian aid and leading to famine in parts of North Darfur, particularly in Zamzam IDP camp south of El Fasher, as reported by The Famine Review Committee (FRC) of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

Khalid Mohamed Elbaghir, a volunteer in the community, mentioned that all the belongings, including the beds, were taken from the houses. People are returning to their homes, but they have nothing inside and no jobs due to the war. Therefore, they have started providing them with food.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is quickly enhancing its emergency efforts to save lives in conflict-affected Sudan by boosting the level of aid provided and exploring new, effective methods to deliver urgent support to millions throughout the nation.

Eddie Rowe, the Country Director of WFP in Sudan, emphasized, “Our biggest challenge is the continuation of the conflict which hampering our movement as well as our humanitarian supplies. So we call on the parties for an immediate cessation of hostilities that would allow humanitarians to access these communities some of whom are trapped and its very challenging to reach them at this time of the year when the roads are impassable.”

So far in 2024, WFP has provided food and cash aid to over 4 million IDPs, refugees, and at-risk populations throughout Sudan.

The level of destruction caused by the rising violence in El Fasher is severe and distressing.

Ongoing, intense clashes have driven many residents to flee to IDP camps, where they encounter a harsh reality: essential services are limited or nonexistent, worsening the challenges of displacement.

Since mid-April, approximately 320,000 individuals are thought to have been displaced in El Fasher. Between 150,000 and 200,000 of these individuals have reportedly relocated to Zamzam camp in search of safety, basic necessities, and food since mid-May.

The camp's population has surged to over half a million in just a few weeks, according to IPC.