Sudan approves UN logistical hubs near besieged El Fasher
New humanitarian bases to be established in Mellit and Tawila as UN seeks aid access amid RSF siege
PORT SUDAN, Sudan (MNTV) – Sudan’s transitional government has approved the establishment of two United Nations logistical supply bases in Mellit and Tawila.
The designated areas are near the war-torn city of El Fasher in North Darfur, the country’s worst-affected region in the ongoing civil conflict.
In a statement released Monday, the Sovereign Council confirmed the decision, stating the new UN bases are intended to facilitate humanitarian operations in the vicinity of El Fasher.
The city has been under siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for over a year.
Mellit is currently under RSF control, while Tawila is held by a faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdul Wahid al-Nur.
Tawila has become a humanitarian hub, hosting hundreds of thousands of people displaced by continued clashes in El Fasher and its outskirts.
The Sovereign Council said Chairman General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan spoke by phone with UN Assistant Secretary-General Tom Fletcher to discuss the humanitarian crisis and coordination of relief efforts in El Fasher.
The conversation emphasized the urgency of delivering aid and overcoming obstacles posed by “the RSF or other groups” disrupting humanitarian convoys.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that the RSF blockade and attacks are severely impeding access to El Fasher, leaving civilians vulnerable to famine, disease, and malnutrition.
Aid groups have reported artillery shelling by RSF fighters on residential areas and the Abu Shouk displacement camp, along with attacks on vital infrastructure.
The conflict in Darfur has escalated since the outbreak of war between the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in April 2023.
According to UN estimates, 79% of North Darfur’s population now requires humanitarian assistance and protection.
The RSF occupation of the Golo reservoir, a key water source, and damage to water stations have led to acute shortages of clean drinking water inside El Fasher. Food and medical supplies are also scarce due to ongoing restrictions.
OCHA has urged the continued use of existing humanitarian corridors and emphasized the need to stabilize access routes into the region to prevent further displacement and alleviate pressure on host communities.
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