Sudanese eating charcoal and leaves to survive, aid agency warns
"The stories we've been hearing are truly horrific," Noah Taylor, the Norwegian Refugee Council's head of operations, told the BBC's Newsday programme.
People are fleeing el-Fasher for Tawila, but are dying "on arrival," Mr Taylor added.
He said that some were "dying of thirst", whilst making the 40km (25 mile)- journey from Zamzam camp in "blistering" temperatures.
"We've heard stories there are still bodies on the road between el-Fasher and Tawila."
"We spoke to a family who told us of a girl who had walked on foot by herself from el-Fasher, was repeatedly raped along the journey, and then died of her wounds when she arrived in Tawila."
El-Fasher is the last city in Sudan's western region of Darfur under the control of the army and its allies. Earlier this month, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked the nearby Zamzam camp, forcing tens of thousands to flee their makeshift shelters.
Many Zamzam residents had been there for two decades, after escaping previous conflicts in Darfur.
The RSF has been battling the army for the past two years in a war that has killed tens of thousands and forced some 13 million people from their homes.
Aid agencies say it is the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
BBC smuggles in phones to reveal hunger and fear in el-Fasher
What is going on in Sudan? A simple guide
BBC finds fear, loss and hope in Sudan's ruined capital after army victory
After it was attacked by the RSF, the Zamzam camp was "completely destroyed", North Darfur Health Minister Ibrahim Khater told Newsday last week.
Mr Taylor also warned that Tawila was struggling to cope with the influx of people fleeing their homes.
"There is very little in the way of food, there is very little in the way of water," he said, adding that the small town was currently sheltering around 130,000 to 150,000 people.
Last week, people fleeing Zamzam told the BBC their homes had been burned down and that they had been shot at. The RSF says it attacked the camp but denies committing any atrocities.
The mother and children trapped between two conflicts
Will recapture of presidential palace change course of Sudan war?
Sudan's 'invisible crisis' - where more children are fleeing war than anywhere else
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Africa Daily
Focus on Africa
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Co-Pilot of Doomed Flight Thought Captain Turned Off Fuel Switches Just Before Crash, Investigation Continues: Reports
NEED TO KNOW The co-pilot on the Air India flight that crashed on June 12 thought the captain turned off the plane's fuel switches shortly before the fatal crash, according to a new report The report suggests the co-pilot officer was panicked, while the captain was calm shortly before the crash near the airport in Ahmedabad Of the 242 people on the July 12 flight to London, 241 diedThe co-pilot on the doomed Air India flight thought the captain may have turned off the plane's fuel switches shortly before the fatal crash, according to reports. A black box recording from the ill-fated Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner suggests the captain of the flight turned off the plane's fuel switches, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited "people familiar with U.S. officials' early assessment of evidence uncovered in the crash investigation." According to The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, those familiar with the recording said the co-pilot officer asked the captain why the switches were put in the 'cutoff' position and seemed panicked, while the captain seemed calm. The interaction reveals for the first time who said what in the flight deck, Bloomberg noted. This account appears to corroborate information laid out in a preliminary report about the crash released one month after the crash. That report, published by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau on Saturday, July 12, stated that fuel to the aircraft's engines was cut off as it traveled from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad to London's Gatwick Airport. Black box audio from the cockpit recorded 'one of the pilots … asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,' per the report. 'At about 08:09:05 UTC, one of the pilots transmitted 'MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY,' " the report added. In a statement shared on Thursday, July 17, the Aviation Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said, 'We urge both the public and the media to refrain from spreading premature narratives that risk undermining the integrity of the investigative process.' The AAIB also said, 'at this stage, it is too early to reach to any definite conclusions,' adding that the investigation into the crash 'is still not complete.' Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, was the captain of the Air India flight, which crashed a short distance away from the airport in Ahmedabad. Clive Kunder, who was in his 30s, was the co-pilot. Kunder had 1,100 hours of flight experience, while Sabharwal had 8,200, The Economic Times previously reported. Kunder was the cousin of Bollywood star Vikrant Massey, who paid tribute to his late family member on Instagram shortly after the crash on June 12. 'My heart breaks for the families & loved ones of the ones who lost their lives in the unimaginably tragic air crash in Ahmedabad today,' Massey wrote. 'It pains me even more to know that my uncle, Clifford Kunder lost his son, Clive Kunder who was the 1st officer operating on that fateful flight,' he added. 'May God give strength to you and your family uncle and to all deeply affected.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In total, 241 of the 242 people on board the AIr India flight died in the crash. Only one person survived. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Newsweek
19 hours ago
- Newsweek
Hearts Break As Shelter Volunteer Reveals Reasons Dogs Are Abandoned
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In a viral Instagram post, a shelter volunteer revealed the most-common reasons dogs are abandoned, leaving internet users heartbroken. In the post, shared on Tuesday under the username @jsaraceno, the volunteer, Julie Saraceno, walks around the shelter filming some of the pups still waiting for a home, listing the reasons for their surrender. "When you're a volunteer at an animal shelter and you see all the reasons the dogs ended up here," the caption says. The first pup is Mishka, a 10-year-old Siberian husky who was abandoned because of his owner's health conditions, and is now desperately looking for a new foster, who can make him feel happy and safe for his remaining months. Saraceno told Newsweek: "He's been with us for just over a month, surrendered because of the health of the owner. Upon intake, a mass was found on his hip, later confirmed through X-ray. "Due to his age and medical condition, Mishka is in need of a hospice foster home where he can spend his remaining months surrounded by love and comfort." Screenshots of the viral video show the pups in shelter waiting to be adopted. On the right is Mishka. Screenshots of the viral video show the pups in shelter waiting to be adopted. On the right is Mishka. @jsaraceno Another pup featured in the clip is Jazzy, surrendered due to landlord issues back in December, still waiting for her perfect match. "She is only 1 year old. She is very shy and scared, so it takes time for her to trust people," Saraceno said. "Most people aren't willing to do more than one meet-and-greet, and I think that is what she needs to feel comfortable." Among all the other dogs in the clip are also Bowser and Mario, a pair of 5-month-old dachshund and Siberian husky-mix puppies, surrendered because the family had too many animals. "They have the most-adorable stubby dachshund legs you've ever seen," Saraceno added. With almost 3 million dogs entering American shelters in 2024 alone, adopting from a shelter has never been more important. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) says that, of all the homeless pups that ended up in shelter last year, only about 2 million were adopted, and 554,000 were returned to their owner. Of the pups left, 524,000 were transferred to other organizations, and 334,000 were euthanized. The Humane Society of the United States says that, when animals are injected with proper euthanasia drugs, they can lose consciousness in about 3 to 5 seconds. However, many local and underfunded shelters still use gas chambers. In these black boxes, it can take as long as 20 minutes for death to occur, and, in some cases, the animals are still conscious when their vital organs begin to shut down. The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received nearly 30,000 views and almost 3,000 likes on the platform. One user, John_baresky, commented: "Each is a TREASURE of a puppy dog to ADOPT and CHERISH! They bring cheer, fun, joy, laughs, love and loyalty to those that adopt them!" Portagebreeze added: "So many wonderful dogs who were originally placed in homes where human illness or a must move occurred. These pups are all so deserving of a wonderful family to call their own. "Won't you consider one of them? Papa has been waiting SO long. He has to be an only dog in the home it this is easily done and the folks at the shelter can help you be successful with him!!" Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
a day ago
Prince Harry retraces Diana's footsteps by walking through land mine field in Angola
CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Prince Harry followed in his late mother's footsteps on Wednesday by wearing a flak jacket and walking down a path in an active land mine field in Angola to raise awareness for a charity's work clearing explosives from old warzones. The Duke of Sussex is in the southern African country with the Halo Trust organization, the same group Princess Diana worked with when she went to Angola in January 1997, seven months before she was killed in a car crash in Paris. Diana's advocacy and the images of her walking through a minefield helped mobilize support for a land mine ban treaty that was ratified later that year. Harry walked through a land mine field near a village in Cuito Cuanavale in southern Angola, according to Halo Trust. It's not the first time he has retraced his mother's steps after traveling to Angola for a similar awareness campaign in 2019. The land mines across Angola were left behind from its 27-year civil war from 1975 to 2002. The Halo Trust says at least 60,000 people have been killed or injured by land mines since 2008. It says it has located and destroyed over 120,000 land mines and 100,000 other explosive devices in Angola since it started work in the country in 1994, but 1,000 minefields still need to be cleared.
