At least 400 children have reached the town of Tawila in western Darfur without their parents after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized El-Fasher, a humanitarian group has warned.
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said hundreds of unaccompanied children have been arriving in Tawila since last month. The group believes the real number is much higher than what has been recorded.
“Children are reaching Tawila exhausted and deeply distressed, often after days of walking through the desert,” the organisation said. Many fled armed groups, became separated from their parents during the escape, or are believed to have lost their families through detention, violence or death.
The RSF captured El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, on October 26 after an 18-month blockade that cut off essential supplies such as food and medicine. The group has been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and kidnappings during the takeover, although the RSF denies targeting civilians.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk described the situation in El-Fasher as an “atrocity” and one of the most serious crimes in recent years. More than 100,000 people have fled since the takeover, many crossing into nearby Chad for safety.
The NRC said over 15,000 new arrivals have been recorded in Tawila since late October, and at least 200 children are being registered each day. Aid workers say many of the children are traumatised, with some unable to speak or suffering from nightmares.
Humanitarian agencies warn that displacement camps in Tawila are overcrowded, lacking clean water, toilets and essential services. UN experts fear a rise in human trafficking and child recruitment as conditions worsen.
With families missing, children separated and communities cut off from help, aid groups say the crisis is fast becoming one of the most urgent humanitarian emergencies in Sudan.
