Fire in North Darfur Displacement Camp Claims Lives and Destroys Shelters

A fire erupted on Monday in a displacement camp in Tawila, North Darfur, resulting in the deaths of at least two individuals, including a child, and injuring several others. The blaze destroyed numerous shelters, leaving many families without homes.

Eyewitnesses reported that the fire began in a kitchen within the camp and rapidly spread due to overcrowding and the use of flammable building materials.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) expressed deep concern over the incident. Zeleke Bacha, IRC West Sudan Director, stated, "Families living in Tawila have already endured unimaginable hardship; many have fled violence multiple times, lost loved ones, and are living with deep trauma and acute shortages of food, water and healthcare. To see what little they had left ... ."

The IRC, along with local partners, is providing urgent psychosocial support, medical consultations, emergency cash, and clean water to the affected households, prioritizing those who have lost everything once again.

The General Coordination of Camps for Displaced Persons and Refugees has issued an urgent appeal to the international community and humanitarian organizations for immediate assistance, emphasizing the need for alternative shelter, food, water, and urgent health care.

Tawila has been a refuge for civilians fleeing violence in and around El Fasher, particularly after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control of the city in October 2024. The town now hosts approximately 655,000 displaced people, most of whom escaped El Fasher through dangerous routes in search of safety.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, with local authorities citing an accident, while Darfur governor Minni Minawi accuses unnamed parties of intentional arson.