Statement attributable to the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan a.i. , Mr Adnan Khan, on significant new displacement in South Darfur

KHARTOUM, Sudan, March 5, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan a.i., Mr Adnan Khan, has expressed his deep concern at reports of thousands of people having to flee their homes due to fresh fighting between armed movements and the Sudanese Armed Forces and its allied paramilitary groups in the Um Gunya area of South Darfur.

“The latest fighting in the Um Gunya area has displaced over 15,000 people from their homes, possibly many more,” said Mr Khan. “The majority of those fleeing the fighting have gone to Al Salam and Kalma camps outside of Nyala city. As these camps also received many newly displaced people last year, the available services such as water and medical care are already thinly stretched. Humanitarian agencies are organizing extra water and food supplies for the new arrivals in Al Salam and Kalma camps” said Mr Khan.

“Last year saw more people displaced in Darfur than in any single year since the height of the Darfur conflict in 2004. Unfortunately, what we are seeing in Darfur is a trend, where conflict and violence impacts the lives of ordinary people with increasing frequency. After eleven years of fighting in Darfur not only does new displacement, or displacement that has affected people multiple times, have a huge effect on those who have been uprooted but it also places great strain on return and recovery efforts across the region,” he said.