The UN’s WFP has paused aid at Zamzam camp in Sudan, impacting half a million residents amid escalating violence. Fighting between the Sudanese military and RSF has limited access to food supplies, putting thousands at risk of starvation. Previous aid efforts have been severely hampered, and humanitarian groups have suspended operations due to safety concerns.
The United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP) has suspended aid distribution at the Zamzam displacement camp in Sudan, which houses around half a million people. This decision comes as violence escalates between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), threatening the lives of thousands of people who could starve without immediate assistance. The WFP urged both factions to cease hostilities to allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need.
Recent clashes have forced aid partners to evacuate the area, diminishing the number of people receiving essential food supplies. While the WFP used to provide food to approximately 300,000 camp residents, recent attacks have limited their reach to only 60,000 this month. A significant attack has left the camp’s central market destroyed, complicating access to essential goods for the residents.
Doctors Without Borders has also halted operations in Zamzam due to increasing violence, including threats to its field hospital. Edem Wosornu from the U.N. highlighted the severity of the situation, noting the use of heavy weaponry in the area and emphasizing that the safety of humanitarian workers and civilians is at risk with many reported fatalities, including two aid workers.
The U.N. declared famine conditions back in August, and the situation rapidly spread to additional camps in Darfur and the Western Nuba Mountains. Famine is officially recognized when certain mortality rates due to starvation or disease occur. Since that announcement, the WFP has struggled to deliver humanitarian supplies, facing challenges from road conditions, ongoing fighting, and obstructions attributed to the RSF.
In response to these issues, the WFP managed to send one convoy of humanitarian supplies in late November but acknowledged that it has been unable to deliver adequate food using vouchers instead for local vendor purchases. The plight in Zamzam is exacerbated by ongoing hostilities between the RSF and the Sudanese military, which have persisted since April 2023, marked by severe human rights abuses.
International efforts to address the humanitarian crisis have been hindered, with aid groups repeatedly stating that access to the camp is limited. The RSF and allied militias maintain significant control over Darfur, obstructing necessary aid. British and U.S. representatives at the United Nations have highlighted ongoing discussions to foster peace and secure access to humanitarian aid.
The suspension of aid distribution in the Zamzam displacement camp amid escalating violence poses a severe threat to the survival of its residents. With the WFP and other humanitarian groups ceasing operations due to safety concerns, the situation grows increasingly dire. The international community continues to call for an end to hostilities to facilitate the delivery of vital assistance to those in need.
Original Source: apnews.com
