Refugee Camps in Sudan Rapidly Fill with People Fleeing Devastated El-Fasher

Overcrowded Refugee Camps Surge with Individuals Escaping El-Fasher

Multiple refugee camps have rapidly emerged to shelter those fleeing the devastated city of El-Fasher, which has fallen under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) amid extreme violence since October. A camp was established in the small town of Qarni, located northwest of El-Fasher. Between December 14 and 29, the camp expanded by 13,000 square meters, according to satellite imagery.

An even larger camp for displaced individuals from El-Fasher has developed in northern Sudan, approximately 700 km away. The El-Afadh camp, situated near the city of al-Dabba, now covers at least 500,000 square meters, having grown by 370,000 square meters since November 19. This expansion has been confirmed by satellite images, highlighting the influx of tens of thousands of recently displaced individuals. According to the United Nations, 107,000 people have been displaced from El-Fasher and surrounding areas since the end of October, when the city was taken over by the RSF, which has reportedly engaged in ethnic killings, sexual assaults, and arrests, according to survivors.

Conditions in the city of El-Fasher are described as extremely dire, with displaced individuals lacking adequate access to water or sanitation. According to UN aid coordinator Denise Brown, the city has been devastated and exhibits all the characteristics of a "crime scene."
The war in Sudan began in April 2023, resulting in the deaths of over 100,000 people and the displacement of 14 million, including 4.3 million who have fled to neighboring countries. The UN has characterized this situation as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.