Displaced flee Sudan camp attack only to be shelled in another: UN

UNITED NATIONS, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Most of the estimated 400,000 people fleeing the Zamzam displacement camp bombardment sought shelter in another Sudan refuge only for it to be shelled, UN humanitarians said on Thursday.

"Access to Zamzam remains completely blocked," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. "Local authorities and partners' reports indicate that armed groups continue to shell El Fasher and surrounding areas, including Abu Shouk camp, which is obviously placing all of the civilians there at immense risk."

The majority of the 400,000 people fleeing the Zamzam camp bombardment fled to the towns of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, and Tawila, where host communities are already under immense strain.

The office said that despite insecurity, aid organizations are working hard to meet urgent needs.

The United Nations and its humanitarian partners delivered 1,700 metric tons of emergency food in Tawila. Meanwhile, a local partner launched a water trucking initiative to support 10,000 newly displaced people with clean water in El Fasher.

International NGOs are conducting a humanitarian assessment in Tawila to determine the immediate needs and response priorities.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the World Food Programme (WFP) reported that one of its teams arrived on Thursday in greater Khartoum, where it is coordinating with local authorities to scale up assistance in the nation's capital.

"WFP aims to expand aid deliveries to nearly 1 million people over the coming month," Dujarric said. "WFP also said that a convoy with 14 trucks carrying over 280 metric tons of food and nutrition supplies has arrived in Jabal Awlia, which is south of Khartoum, and that arrival took place this (Thursday) morning. This area is one of the areas that is at high risk of famine, so the delivery is well needed."

Famine conditions had previously been declared in the Zamzam camp and several other Sudan locations.

Dujarric said the Khartoum aid deliveries are the first aid into Jabal Awlia since last December. The initial aid convoys carry assistance for around 23,000 people, and additional trucks are en route. The convoy is just one of many planned aid deliveries into the greater Khartoum metropolitan area over the coming weeks.

"All this aid is crucial to help the vulnerable communities, and our humanitarian colleagues are telling us that aid organizations are working hard to meet urgent needs," the spokesman said.

Cross-border and cross-conflict line aid deliveries also continue.

"During the month of March, 156 trucks carrying over 5,600 metric tons of assistance entered Sudan via the Adre crossing from Chad, while 146 trucks transported more than 4,000 metric tons of aid in other parts of the country," Dujarric said.

OCHA said humanitarian access is severely undermined by delays in visa approvals by Sudan for humanitarian personnel.

"Only 16 percent of visa applications were approved in March, an alarming drop from previous months, which was around 50 percent," OCHA said. "All of that can seriously affect life-saving operations if the trend continues downwards."

Dujarric said the United Nations continues to call for the immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan and urge all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, ensure the protection of civilians, and allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access. ■