On 19 January, UNAMID delivers humanitarian aid consisting of plastic tarps, sleeping mats, blankets and water purification equipment to thousands of civilians who were displaced in El Sereif, North Darfur. Photo by Sojoud Elgarrai, UNAMID. 

El Fasher, 20 January 2013 - During the past several days, the African Union - United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has delivered more than 44,000 kilograms of urgent humanitarian aid, by land and air, to thousands of civilians who were displaced in the North Darfur villages of Saraf Omra, Kabkabya, El Sereif and Abu Gamra.

The aid, provided by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), consists of non-food items such as plastic tarps, sleeping mats, blankets and water purification equipment.

In addition to providing a full spectrum of logistics support to deliver the aid, the Mission provided security escorts to humanitarian workers, enabling them to carry out their duties, and has been supporting in mediation efforts to reduce the tensions in Jabel Amir.

“The operation marks a significant step forward for UNAMID and its partners,” said UNAMID Acting Joint Special Representative and Joint Chief Mediator a.i., Aïchatou Mindaoudou. “We have witnessed a great amount of cooperation between all stakeholders, at all levels, which has ensured that access to those in need would be granted quickly.”

The current humanitarian situation in the region emerged earlier this month as a result of clashes between the Abbala and Beni Hussein tribes over gold mines in the Jabel Amir area, resulting in a mass displacement of some 70,000 people and more than 100 killed according to Government figures.