15,000 displaced by recent clashes in South Darfur - ICRC

About 15,000 newly displaced people have sought refuge in Gereida town after recent clashes in the conflict-torn western Sudanese state of South Darfur forced them to flee their villages, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said. "The area that was already heavily affected in the past is again witnessing a new wave of displacement," Paul Conneally, ICRC communication coordinator in Khartoum, told IRIN on Thursday. "All the 23 villages that were affected by the fighting have been emptied, basically," Conneally added. "As usual, the civilians bear the brunt of the insecurity and are forced to pack up their belongings and flee." The latest round of violence reflects the intensification of conflict throughout the Darfur region since mid-September. According to an ICRC statement, the fighting in Gereida area involved a volatile mix of various armed groups, illustrating the complex nature of the Darfur conflict. "It is a mix of tribal opposition, rebels, militia and Sudanese armed forces. It is very difficult to get a proper picture and understanding of what is happening. It is very unclear," Conneally noted. A report by the UN mission in Sudan published on Friday, said 62 members of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) died in the past week during attacks on villages near Gereida that also involved forces of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and armed tribesmen. Many of the displaced arrived in Gereida empty-handed, the ICRC noted in its statement. All were hungry, frightened and exhausted after their ordeal. After being initially scattered in and around the town, the 15,000 new arrivals were gathered together and organised into what would be the town's third camp for displaced people. "We are basically the only organisation there with a full-time presence, and we do have just about the capacity at the moment to respond. But we will need to bring in reinforcements from elsewhere," Conneally observed. The most immediate needs were food, water and shelter, he added. The capacity of the existing ICRC healthcare clinics in Gereida will be boosted to provide an estimated 250 extra consultations a day. The ICRC mobile surgical team - comprised of four specialists who were providing care to war-wounded combatants and civilians who were beyond the reach of hospitals - had also been activated. The total number of internally displaced people who have sought refuge in Gereida is now approximately 60,000 - three times the resident population, the ICRC reported. The Darfur conflict erupted in February 2003 when the SLM/A and JEM, took up arms to fight what they called the discrimination and oppression of the region by the Sudanese government. The government is accused of unleashing militia - known as the Janjawid - on civilians in an attempt to quash the rebellion. According to the UN, the conflict continues to affect some 3.4 million people, of whom 1.75 million are internally displaced and 200,000 have fled to neighbouring Chad. In his latest monthly report to the Security Council released this week, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned that Darfur region could descend into "complete lawlessness and anarchy" and urged for a swift political solution to the conflict.