Sudan: West Darfur governor declares Geneina disaster-stricken area

The West Darfur state, in the far west of Sudan, yesterday declared Geneina a disaster-stricken area and requested urgent humanitarian intervention from the federal government as a result of tribal fighting in the area.

West Darfur Governor Mohamed Aldoma told reporters at Geneina airport that the authorities would work to invite all organisations to operate in the city and provide the necessary services.

The UN has said: “Clashes between the Arab Rizeigat and Masalit communities erupted in El-Geneina on Saturday 3 April. Over 144 people were killed and 233 others seriously injured. Hundreds of thousands fled their areas.”

In his disaster declaration, the governor directed the State Ministry of Health and Social Development, the State Humanitarian Aid Commission, the Governor Adviser for Humanitarian Affairs to set the appropriate measures to coordinate with the central government in the distribution of humanitarian aid urgently to the affected residents.

On January 17, the United Nations announced that more than 117,000 people had been displaced from areas where tribal clashes are taking place in West and South Darfur states, indicating that 3,500 persons had fled to Chad.

READ: 18 killed in renewed tribal violence in Sudan’s West Darfur