Two Sudanese Red Crescent volunteers die in Sennar fighting

Two Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) humanitarian volunteers have died ‘in the line of duty’ during the escalating violence between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Senar state over the past two weeks.

In a press statement on Tuesday, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)* says it is “deeply saddened to confirm the deaths of two Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) volunteers, Babiker Fadl Al Mawli on 5 July 2024, and Aldow Jaber Ali on 12 July 2024″.

The IFRC says that both volunteers were killed in the line of duty in Sennar state. Their deaths bring the number of slain SRCS volunteers to six since the conflict in Sudan began in mid-April last year, and emphasises that “protecting humanitarian workers is both a legal and moral obligation. We reiterate our call for the protection of humanitarian workers and urge all parties to respect international humanitarian law. The loss of our staff and volunteers is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by humanitarian workers in conflict zones.”

As reported separately by Radio Dabanga today, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called on the parties to the conflict in Sudan “to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and to do everything in their power to improve humanitarian access”.

Aid workers threatened

As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, in her address to the UN Security Council on June 18 on behalf of the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, Edem Wosornu, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Director of Operations and Advocacy reminded the UNSC of the ongoing humanitarian emergency in Sudan. “The safety of humanitarian workers is a growing concern.,” she said, noting that in the six weeks preceding her address, six aid workers have been killed, bringing the total to 24 [figure for mid-June 2024] since the conflict began.”

Last year, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) called for a “substantial increase in efforts to provide humanitarian aid; for the safeguarding of medical, humanitarian workers, and civilians; for the removal of administrative blockages on medical and humanitarian staff and supplies; and for people to be allowed unhindered access to aid.”

*The IFRC supports local Red Cross and Red Crescent action in more than 191 countries, bringing together more than 16 million volunteers for the good of humanity. The ongoing conflict in Sudan has led hundreds of thousands of people—many of whom are women, children and older people—to flee the country to find safety across borders. Those arriving in neighbouring countries have experienced dire humanitarian conditions. Many have been caught in the crossfire and struggled to access food, water, and health services for some time. The IFRC is supporting Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Central African Republic (CAR), Ethiopia and Libya to provide essential humanitarian assistance to people fleeing Sudan. (Source: IFRC.org)