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| Sudan/photo/Agency |
A devastating landslide has claimed the lives of at least 370 individuals in the isolated Marra Mountains of western Sudan, according to a UN official. Antoine Gérard, the UN's deputy humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, mentioned that evaluating the full extent of the disaster or determining the precise number of fatalities is challenging due to the area's inaccessibility.
The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A), the militant group overseeing the impacted region, previously indicated that the death toll could reach as high as 1,000.
Heavy rainfall over several days led to the landslide on Sunday, which resulted in only one survivor and the group stated in a release.
The SLM/A has requested humanitarian aid from the UN and various regional and international organizations. Mr. Gérard noted that delivering assistance to the region would be a significant challenge.
"We lack helicopters; all supplies must be transported by vehicles over extremely rough terrain. This process is time-consuming, especially during the rainy season—there are times we may have to wait hours, or even a day or two, to navigate a valley... bringing in trucks loaded with supplies will be quite difficult."
Numerous residents from North Darfur state had fled to the Marra Mountains area after conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) displaced them from their homes.
The SLM/A has maintained a neutral stance in the ongoing conflict. Minni Minnawi, the governor aligned with Darfur's army, described the landslide as a "humanitarian tragedy."
"We urge international humanitarian organizations to intervene urgently and provide support and assistance during this critical time, as the tragedy exceeds what our people can endure alone," he stated, as reported by the AFP news agency.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the head of the African Union Commission, called on the conflicting parties to "silence the guns and come together to ensure the rapid and effective delivery of emergency humanitarian aid to those in need."
