Sudans War-Ravaged El-Fasher Sees Surge in Displacement Camps

Satellite Images Reveal Growing Displacement Camps in Sudan

A recent satellite image review by Al Jazeera’s Sanad agency has revealed a significant expansion of displacement camps in the region. One camp, located near the city of al-Dabba, has grown to cover an area of approximately 500,000 square meters. The camp, which was established in the small town of Qarni, northwest of el-Fasher, has seen its size increase by 13,000 square meters between December 14 and December 29.

Another large displacement camp, El-Afadh, located in Sudan’s Northern State, has also expanded significantly. According to satellite data analyzed by Sanad, the camp now covers at least 500,000 square meters, with an additional 370,000 square meters added since November 19.

The United Nations reports that over 107,000 people have been displaced from el-Fasher and surrounding areas since late October, when the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized the city. The RSF’s takeover was marked by ethnically motivated mass killings, sexual assaults, and detentions, according to survivors.

A team of UN aid workers recently visited el-Fasher for the first time since its takeover, finding a largely deserted city with hallmarks of a “crime scene.” The city is described as being in a precarious state, with some areas lacking sanitation or water. The UN has also reported that conditions in the city are “very precarious.”

The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023 and has resulted in over 100,000 deaths and 14 million displaced people. The situation has triggered famine in several parts of the country, described by the UN as the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”

Source: Al Jazeera