The UN has warned of an “ugly” humanitarian situation in El-Fasher, North Darfur, where civilians fleeing violence are at risk of starvation and ransom demands, officials said Monday.

“Civilians fleeing El-Fasher are often held for ransom along the road, controlled by militias,” Denise Brown, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, told a virtual briefing. She added that adults and children are malnourished, dehydrated, sometimes injured, and deeply traumatized.

El-Fasher has been under blockade for more than 500 days, preventing aid from reaching those trapped inside. Brown said the restriction of food and military assistance “amounts to using starvation as a weapon of war.”

The UN continues to call on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to allow safe passage for civilians. “We require those guarantees of safe passage,” Brown said, noting that more than 128 aid workers have been killed since the war began in April 2023.

Between 120,000 and 400,000 people remain trapped in El-Fasher, while around 600,000 displaced civilians have fled toward Tawila. The UN has had 42 trucks of humanitarian supplies, including food, medicine, hygiene kits, and shelter materials, on standby since July, but access has been blocked.

Brown stressed that humanitarian aid alone cannot solve the crisis. “We are there to protect civilians, but a peaceful solution absolutely needs to be found,” she said.

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