Hundreds of children separated from their families while escaping violence in West Darfur, Sudan

CAIRO In the past month, a large number of children have reached refugee camps in Sudan without any family members, as waves of people escape the violence in the city of el-Fasher. Officials report that more unaccompanied minors continue to arrive daily.

The United Nations stated that over 100,000 residents fled el-Fasher in western Darfur starting in late October, after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) regained control from the Sudanese army. Between October 26 and November 22, UNICEF documented 354 children arriving at a camp in Tawila, roughly 70 kilometers west of el-Fasher, without parents or guardians. Authorities said many children lost parents due to disappearance, detention, or death during their journey.

UNICEF, the U.N.s child protection agency, confirmed that 84 children were reunited with family members over the past month, mostly in Tawila, where international organizations are assisting those affected by the recent fighting. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) reported that at least 400 children have reached Tawila unaccompanied. Many were aided by extended relatives, neighbors, or strangers who intervened to prevent them from being left alone.

Numerous children arrive showing extreme signs of malnutrition and dehydration. Some display psychological trauma, such as becoming mute, restless, or withdrawn, experiencing nightmares, crying frequently, or engaging in fights, said Mathilde Vu, NRC advocacy manager.

The recent mass displacement began after the RSF took el-Fasher, previously the Sudanese armys last stronghold, leaving hundreds dead. The RSF-military conflict started in 2023 when tensions arose between the two former allies tasked with overseeing Sudans democratic transition following the 2019 uprising. The World Health Organization estimates at least 40,000 deaths and 12 million displaced, though aid organizations warn the true toll may be far higher.

Sheldon Yett, UNICEFs representative in Sudan, described the children arriving in camps as bewildered, malnourished, and dehydrated, highlighting the traumatic experiences they have witnessed, including the disappearance or killing of family members.

Despite receiving psychological support, some children still sleep on the ground and have access to only a single meal per day. People are hungry, thirsty, in need of education, care, and psychosocial support, which must be provided immediately, not after peace returns, Vu emphasized.

The RSF largely consists of fighters from the Arab Janjaweed militia, accused of conducting a government-backed genocidal campaign in Darfur in the 2000s that claimed roughly 300,000 lives. Earlier this month, the RSF accepted a humanitarian truce proposed by a U.S.-led mediation group, though Sudans military insists the RSF withdraw from civilian areas and disarm.

Author: Sophia Brooks