Aid workers allowed access to 45,000 displaced in South Darfur

Aid organisations have been allowed access to South Darfur areas affected by the armed conflict between the Beni Halba and Gimir tribes over land ownership, for the first time since the clashes. The agencies found that an estimated 45,000 people have been displaced by the conflict which started in March 2013. They are in need of food, non-food relief supplies, health, education and water, sanitation and hygiene assistance, the humanitarian coordination office of the UN reported on Wednesday following a research in December 2013.The people were displaced from villages in the border area of Ed El Fursan and Katila localities, South Darfur, to Ed El Fursan, Katila, Tullus and El Salam localities. Humanitarian actors have tried to reach these areas since March last year but were not given access to travel to the affected locations.This displacement includes an estimated 8,000 people in Ed El Fursan locality; an estimated 25,500 in Katila town (Katla locality); an estimated 4,600 in Tullus town (Tullus locality); and estimated 2,400 and 4,300 in Umm Mashtour and Tiwal villages respectively (El Salam locality).In response, Unicef and the national NGOs have sent educational materials to Katila town and the villages of Umm Mashtour and Tiwal. Food and non-food relief supplies will be distributed pending further verification by the IOM.File photo: UNHCR staff meet with refugees from Darfur in 2013 (M. Antoine / UNHCR)