The Escalation of the Cholera Crisis and Conflict in Darfur.. Record Deaths and Injuries and Warnings of a Humanitarian Catastrophe

The Darfur region in western Sudan is witnessing a serious escalation in the cholera epidemic, with the number of deaths among displaced persons rising to 235 since the disease appeared last June, while daily infections are approaching the threshold of 6,000, according to field sources.

The Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur has issued an urgent warning about an "unprecedented" spread of the epidemic in new areas, especially in Central Darfur and the Jebel Marra camps, while the largest outbreak hotspots are recorded in the "Tawila" area west of Al-Fasher, followed by the Martal and Tabra areas to the south.

In a related context, the emergency room of the Abu Shouk camp in North Darfur revealed the death of 60 people, most of them women, children, and the elderly, due to hunger and malnutrition in recent days. The room confirmed that scenes of "severe emaciation" have become familiar, stressing that the situation in Al-Fasher has "exceeded the warning stage and entered the area of imminent danger".

On the security front, the "Al-Arabiya" website reported the killing of members of the Rapid Support Forces in a strike targeting a training camp in South Darfur, resulting in the deaths of several soldiers. Sudanese army aircraft continue to carry out airstrikes on Rapid Support Forces positions in Darfur and Kordofan, as part of targeting their logistical and military capabilities.

The World Health Organization warned last week of the worsening health conditions in Sudan, where 100,000 cases of cholera have been recorded since July 2024, amid the repercussions of the raging war and the spread of malnutrition and mass displacement.