107,000+ flee El Fasher as conflict and disease tighten grip on Darfur

More than 107,000 people have been forced to flee El Fasher and surrounding villages in North Darfur, as fighting escalates and aid agencies warn of a worsening humanitarian and health crisis.

In a report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Sunday, they say an estimated 107,294 people were displaced between October 26 and December 8, following a sharp deterioration in security after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces took control of the city.

Around 72 per cent of those displaced remain within North Darfur, mainly in the north and west of the state, while about 19 per cent have fled to other parts of Sudan, including Central Darfur, Northern State and White Nile state.

The IOM says the crisis is compounded by repeated displacement. About three quarters of those who fled since late October had already been uprooted before, many from major displacement camps such as Zamzam and Abu Shouk, or from neighbourhoods inside El Fasher during earlier bouts of fighting.

IOM warned that insecurity and movement restrictions are limiting escape routes and could trigger further sudden displacement.

Alongside the violence, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has raised the alarm over a growing measles outbreak in Central, South and West Darfur.

MSF says it has recorded more than 1,300 cases since September in health facilities it supports, blaming the lack of effective vaccination campaigns and delays in vaccine deliveries.

Hospitals in cities across Darfur in Zalingei, Nyala and El Geneina have reported sharp increases in cases in recent months, many among malnourished children, heightening the risk of severe and life-threatening complications.

MSF has urged Sudanese authorities and international agencies to remove bureaucratic obstacles and urgently roll out mass vaccination and routine immunisation programmes.

Fighting in Kordofan has also continued to drive people from their homes. The IOM says more than 50,000 people have been displaced across the region since late October, warning that up to 100,000 could be forced to flee if clashes around Kadugli continue.

In White Nile state, around 1,700 people, mostly women and children, have arrived in Kosti after fleeing violence in West Kordofan, stretching already limited resources.

Aid agencies warn that funding cuts and shortfalls, combined with insecurity, are forcing them to make painful choices about where they can respond, leaving many displaced families without the help they urgently need as Sudan’s crisis deepens.