Violence turns Sudan's North Darfur into "a death trap" for over 1 million people – INGO Forum

PORT SUDAN, 17 February 2025 –We, the INGOs operating in Sudan, strongly condemn the escalating violence in North Darfur. The deliberate targeting of civilians and displacement camps, such as Zamzam and Abu Shok, along with the ongoing siege of El Fasher, has turned the region into a death trap for over a million people. The international community cannot stand idle while civilians are starved, bombed, and killed as they attempt to flee. 

The situation is catastrophic:

• Zamzam Camp, home to an estimated one million displaced people, and Abu Shok Camp have been devastated by intense artillery shelling. Satellite images confirm that over half of the main market in Zamzam Camp has been intentionally razed, showing a clear pattern of deliberate destruction, cutting off access to food supplies in an already famine-stricken camp.

• Civilians attempting to escape have been attacked along evacuation routes, turning their flight into a death sentence. Those who survive report harrowing conditions of destitution.

• Two aid workers were killed in Zamzam in less than ten days during the attacks. Local responders are also under constant threat.

• El Fasher’s last operational hospital has been bombed multiple times, leaving no access to critical medical care.

• The months-long blockade on Al Fasher has severed access to fuel, food, and water, creating life-threatening shortages that worsen by the hour. Local responders, who have been running the only communal kitchens for displaced families, warn they are on the brink of collapse due to attacks and lack of funding.

We demand immediate action:

1. End indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including humanitarian facilities, residential homes, and hospitals. All parties to the conflict must withdraw military assets from civilian areas and settlements to protect lives and essential services.

2. Guarantee safe passage for civilians fleeing Zamzam Camp and El Fasher. Checkpoints and other measures must not obstruct movement or enable abuses such as arrests, looting, or violence.

3. Provide clear assurances that civilians will not be targeted as a tactic of war, and prevent retaliatory violence based on ethnicity, gender, or perceived political affiliation.

4. Ensure the safety and protection of aid workers and local responders. Parties to the conflict must commit to protecting those delivering critical humanitarian assistance.

5. Prioritize the protection of civilians in Sudan at the center of all discussions at international levels and in all fora, including with member states engaged with warring parties. Concrete action and accountability must take precedence immediately.

ENDS

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Image Caption: A school and an Internally Displaced People's (IDP) area in West Darfur that were supported by Save the Children destroyed in April 2023, due to the ongoing fighting in Sudan. Credit: Mohamed Khalil/ Save the Children