UN warns El Fasher civilians trapped amid intensified fighting, calls for safe passage

Denise Brown, United Nations resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, told journalists on Friday that fighting around El Fasher has intensified over the past 24 hours and that civilians continuing to flee the area face severe risks.

"Over the past 24 hours, we've received multiple reports of an intensification in the fighting in El Fashar," Brown said, adding that she could not confirm whether the Rapid Support Forces controlled the town. She said Tawila, about 50 kilometers away, remains a humanitarian hub and a destination for people arriving in dire condition.

Brown described those arriving in Tawila as "dehydrated, malnourished, some injured, and all traumatized," and said the United Nations and partner organizations have documented thousands of children in the area who are severely malnourished. "It's severe, which means children need to be hospitalized," she said.

The coordinator reiterated that there has been a blockade of humanitarian assistance into Al-Fashir…