Arabic news roundup
By William Greenwood
Sudan: rights group proposes establishing relief centres amid international warnings of famine
The "Emergency Lawyers" group has proposed the establishment of relief centres, coming just one day after Britain and several Western nations called for an intensified humanitarian response to prevent a famine in Sudan.
On October 13, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) - the international standard for diagnosing food crises - reported an accelerating collapse of conditions in Darfur and Kordofan, driven by food shortages, rising malnutrition rates, and the spread of drought.
In a statement, the Emergency Lawyers group called for the creation of relief centres in the hardest-hit areas to provide food, drinking water, healthcare, and other essential necessities.
The group noted that many residents have been forced to dispose of their livestock, as they are no longer able to provide them with food or water following the failure of the agricultural season and the loss of vegetation cover.
Crops across large parts of Sudan have been affected by drought, fuelling fears that hunger will spread further, while the shrinking of grazing lands, compounded by the high cost of animal feed, is forcing more livestock herders to get rid of their animals.
The group warned that the deliberate deprivation of civilians of food and water, the obstruction of relief efforts, and the looting of property constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity.
On Friday, foreign and development ministers from 29 Western nations, including Britain, France, and Germany, alongside the European Union and the United States, issued a warning regarding the severe deterioration of food security and the risk of famine in the coming months.
Areas at risk include Um Baru, Karnoi, Tina, Kutum, the rural areas surrounding El Fasher, Mellit, and Tawila in North Darfur, as well as in Dilling, Kadugli, and their surrounding rural areas in South Kordofan, while there are concerns that the famine could spread to parts of South Darfur including eastern Jebel Marra.
From: Sudan Tribune
47 Cases of Viral Hepatitis Reported in Kalma Camp, Darfur
A medical source at the Kalma camp for displaced persons, located east of the city of Nyala in South Darfur state, revealed on Saturday that 47 cases of viral hepatitis were recorded during September amid a widespread outbreak of the disease.
The medical source stated that the camp is experiencing a deterioration in health and environmental conditions, which has led to the spread of the disease among the displaced population.
Health centres within the camp are struggling with inadequate services for the displaced, including a shortage of medicines and limited access to laboratory testing.
From: Darfur24