CAIRO — According to the U.N.’s leading humanitarian official in Sudan, the ongoing conflict between paramilitary forces and the military is obstructing crucial aid from reaching the famine-affected areas of Darfur. Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator in the country, stated on Monday that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are imposing significant barriers to humanitarian assistance, particularly in the Darfur region they control.
Nkweta-Salami described the situation as dire, citing “obstruction, undue interference, and operational restrictions” that prevent life-saving help from reaching those desperately in need. The RSF, along with its allied militias, has a significant hold over much of western Sudan, complicating access for humanitarian organizations.
She elaborated that the limitations set by the RSF’s Sudanese Agency for Relief and Humanitarian Operations include requests for logistical support and mandatory collaboration with specific vendors. These conditions risk corruption and the diversion of essential aid, making it increasingly difficult for humanitarian efforts to reach vulnerable communities.
In a recent event, awareness was raised for the conflict when a performer at the Super Bowl halftime show in the United States displayed a banner mentioning “Sudan,” highlighting the often-ignored war to a global audience.
The conflict began in April 2023, ignited by escalating tensions between military leaders and the RSF, leading to violent clashes in the capital city of Khartoum and other regions across the country. Over 28,000 people have been killed since the fighting began, and millions have been displaced, with some families resorting to survival tactics like eating grass as famine grips various parts of Sudan.
The Integrated Food Security Classification has identified at least five areas experiencing famine, including multiple camps for displaced individuals in Darfur. A report from the IPC in December warned of a growing famine, predicting that additional regions in Darfur could face similar crises in the upcoming months.
The humanitarian fallout from this war has created the largest displacement crisis in the world, affecting over 14 million people, which is roughly 30% of the country’s population. Of those displaced, about 3.2 million individuals have sought refuge in neighboring nations, including Chad, Egypt, and South Sudan.
Reports of severe human rights abuses, including ethnically targeted killings and sexual violence, have emerged, prompting investigations by the International Criminal Court into potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Before exiting office last month, the Biden administration declared that the RSF and its affiliates were committing genocide. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan informed the U.N. Security Council in January that the current conflict reflected disturbing similarities to the genocide seen two decades ago in Darfur, which became infamously associated with mass atrocities perpetrated by Janjaweed militias against populations identifying as Central or East African. That conflict resulted in approximately 300,000 deaths and the displacement of 2.7 million people, and the RSF has its origins in the Janjaweed militias.
