Malnutrition, fear cause Darfur women to miscarry in Jebel Marra

At least 32 women from the villages of Gendato, Toran Tora and Tobang in Darfur’s Jebel Marra have reportedly suffered miscarriages as a result of malnutrition and extreme fear of attacks and air raids between February 13 and March 23.

The villages have also seen the death of 25 other woman during childbirth owing to the lack of health centres and doctors. Only traditional midwives are available. The children are suffering from influenza, diarrhoea. and malnutrition.

Hussein Abu Sharati, spokesman for the Darfur Displaced and Refugees Association, described the situation in Jebel Marra as “dangerous” and told Radio Dabanga that all roads leading to Jebel Marra have been closed. “There is no medicine or doctors, and people are only being treated by traditional healing methods.”

He added that the government offensive accompanied by aerial bombardment led to the families fleeing from more than 200 villages and take refuge in the mountains, caves, valleys and stay under trees in very serious humanitarian situation.

He said that there are about 20 villages on south and west Jebel Marra whose population fled to the caves and valleys.

Abu Sharati said that 1,030 homes in Gendato and Torntora and Tobang, have burned to the ground.

He called on the UN and the Security Council to act immediately to rescue the civilians in Jebel Marra and provide immediate relief and medical care. He also called on the UN to send a fact-finding team to Jebel Marra.