17 IDPs die in desert while trying to reach northern Sudan

Seventeen Sudanese internally displaced persons (IDPs) have died in the desert while traveling from the border town of Tina in North Darfur State to Ad-Dabba in Northern State, the Humanitarian Aid Commission in Northern State said. 

Humanitarian Aid Commissioner in the Northern State, Abdul Rahman Ali Khairi, announced the death of the 17 IDPs after losing their way in the desert while the remaining survivors including 10 women and 13 children were transferred to Dongola Military Hospital. 

He described the survivors’ health and psychological conditions as “difficult”, calling for urgent support and special care.

The new tragedy comes amid the escalating conflict in Darfur, particularly after repeated attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the areas north of Kutum, Al-Maliha, and Al-Fasher, which led to the displacement of thousands of civilians northward. 

Hiam Omar, the state’s child development official, said some of the IDPs were directly attacked by RSF immediately upon leaving Tina, exacerbating their suffering in the desert. 

This humanitarian disaster highlights the dire conditions of displaced people fleeing conflict zones and the urgent need for safe passage and urgent humanitarian support.

READ: UNHCR: 239,000 Sudanese refugees stranded on Chad border