SUDAN Q NORTH DARFUR UPDATE Q LAST

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001982 SIPDIS AIDAC SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS GENEVA FOR NKYLOH NAIROBI FOR SFO NSC FOR JBRAUSE, NSC/AFRICA FOR TSHORTLEY USUN FOR TMALY BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI SU SUBJECT: SUDAN Q NORTH DARFUR UPDATE Q LAST HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES WITHDRAW FROM TAWILAH -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. Organized banditry and clashes between various armed groups have forced the last two humanitarian agencies operating in Tawilah district, North Darfur to suspend activities and relocate staff. USAID Darfur Field Office (DFO) staff estimate that as a result of this withdrawal, 110,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and affected communities in the Tawilah area will be left without much needed health care services. End summary. -------------- Attack on Relief International (RI) Compound -------------- ¶2. USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) implementing partner, RI reported that on August 11 at approximately 2100 hours, three armed men entered the RI compound in Tawilah, seized two vehicles and drivers, and forced the two drivers to drive the vehicles 25 km southwest in the direction of Tarnet. Upon arrival at Tarnet, the assailants released the drivers, who returned by foot to Tawilah, arriving at approximately 0300 hours on August 12. The drivers reported that the assailants spoke with Zaghawa dialects. ¶3. RI staff in El Fasher coordinated with the U.N. Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) and African Union (AU),who sent patrols to Tawilah on August 12 to escort 13 national staff to El Fasher. RI staff reported that after the attack, AU peacekeepers in Tawilah provided excellent support to RI staff and remained available until a RI team from El Fasher arrived. Following the attack and due to the potential for clashes between various Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) factions, UNDSS declared the Tawilah area QNo-Go. ¶4. This is the second attack on RI in recent weeks. On July 12, a RI employee was kidnapped and killed in a carjacking while in transit between Saraf Omra and Kabkabiya in western North Darfur. To date, the vehicle has not been recovered. -------------- -------------- Suspension of Humanitarian Activities in the Tawilah Area -------------- -------------- ¶5. RI has suspended services in Tawilah District, including Dali, AU, Rwanda, and Abassy camps near Mellit, as well as in the city of Tawilah, Korma, Kafod, and Sarafaya in rural El Fasher. RI was the only provider of health care services in these areas and later assumed a camp coordination role. According to DFO staff, RI reported that there are 110,000 IDPs in the Tawilah area in need of health care services and due to the security situation and the withdrawal of RI, these IDPs will not be served. As a result of both these security incidents, RI currently only has two vehicles available for their use for program activities in El Fasher. ¶6. Following the second attack on RI, Save the Children-Sweden (SC-Sweden) also suspended operations and withdrew from the Tawilah area. SC-Sweden was providing assistance in the education and child protection sectors. HUME