Darfur conflicts displace 100,000 in one week

Recent large displacements by armed conflicts in Darfur have caused an influx of 100,000 people to camps for the displaced in North and South Darfur over the past week. The main health risks in the camps are malaria and acute watery diarrhoea. Around 45,000 newly displaced have arrived at South Darfur’s Sani Deleiba town and El Salam, Kalma, Otash, and Dereig camps following attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in areas near state capital Nyala, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported on Monday. More than 35 villages were burned to ashes, and dozens of civilians were killed in attacks by the RSF in the areas of Hijer (Tunjo) and Um Gunja on 27 and 28 February. As a result, “El Salam camp reported 15,600 new arrivals since late February. 8,400 people arrived at Kalma camp in the same time. 20,000 people have arrived at Sani Deleiba”, the WHO stated in its report. “During influx of people into camps, poor hygiene and sanitation is always a major concern. In Kalma, the most common disease over the last two weeks was eye infection.” In Sani Deleiba, the major diseases are diarrhoea, skin diseases, and eye infections. There is one primary health care clinic that is providing consultations, first aid services, immunisation, and health education, the WHO reported. The number of consultations has increased to around 45 cases per day, whereas it used to be 20 cases per day. Around 40 percent of the cases reported are with children under five years old. The clinic suffers from a shortage of medicines, and there is a lack of water and sanitation facilities in Sani Deleiba. Saraf Omra displaced Other humanitarian agencies estimated that more than 55,000 people were displaced from Saraf Omra in North Darfur over the past week owing to attacks and plundering by militias led by Musa Hilal. The UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in its latest bulletin that the majority of the people fled to the African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (Unamid) team site outside of Saraf Omra. Unamid said it is in need of additional food, water and sanitation assistance to aid the newly displaced citizens. At least 50 people were killed and injured by Hilal’s militiamen on Saturday, sources from Saraf Omra told Radio Dabanga. Displaced by rebels According to the International Organisation of Migration (IOM), 10,000 to 15,000 people have fled from El Taweisha, Ailliet, and Haskanita towns in North Darfur, while others have fled to Ghubeish locality in West Kordofan. They fled from the joint rebel forces’ attacks. “The current levels of displacement in Darfur may indicate that the trend of mass displacement in Darfur is continuing through 2014,” OCHA said, “as last year saw more people displaced than in any single year since the height of the Darfur conflict in 2004.” South Sudanese refugees Meanwhile, the number of people crossing into Sudan from South Sudan continues to increase as a result of fighting and insecurity in South Sudan. As of 5 March, the number is estimated to be between 42,000 and 44,400 people, according to the UNHCR. White Nile hosts the largest number of South Sudanese arrivals. Two temporary health facilities established by the Ministry of Health have been providing basic health services in the White Nile camps. File photo: A newly displaced man takes shelter under his donkey cart in Kalma camp, South Darfur. (Albert González Farran/Unamid) Related: Continuing influx of newly displaced at South Darfur camps, almost no aid provided (10 March 2014) Musa Hilal’s militias plunder, burn, take control of North Darfur’s Saraf Omra (9 March 2014)