Huzaifah Zakaria Mohammed, former director of the information office for the murdered West Darfur governor, Khamis Abkar, spoke to Radio Tamazuj, highlighting the impact of the ongoing war, ethnic targeting, racism, and destruction in Darfur.
He stated, “A huge number of young people migrate daily in an attempt to escape the deteriorating security conditions and the systematic assassinations and targeting of actors and influencers by both sides of the conflict.”
Zakaria emphasized that since the start of the bloody war in the middle of last April, the situation in Darfur has forced its youth to seek safety by emigrating to foreign countries. The journalist shed light on the challenging circumstances, emphasizing the urgent need for attention to the plight of Darfur’s youth facing these hardships.
Addressing the alarming state in Darfur, Huzaifah Zakaria Mohammed emphasized that the deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions have resulted in the loss of many lives, particularly among children and women.
He pointed out the absence of a clear strategy to halt the ongoing conflict, stating, “To stop the war, the warring parties must have political will, unify the Sudanese vision, fight war merchants, and involve all young people in dialogue to find a comprehensive solution that stops the bleeding in Darfur.”
Conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted on April 15, 2023. While fighting has been chiefly concentrated in the country’s capital, Khartoum, the conflict has impacted other regions. In Darfur, mass killings and displacement have led to reports of ethnic cleansing.
Over 12,000 people have been killed, with about 5.9 million displaced within the country, making it the largest internal displacement crisis globally. More than 7.2 million people have fled their homes, taking refuge inside and outside the country.