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Türkiye has emerged as one of the key actors working to alleviate the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Sudan, Turkish Ambassador to Khartoum Fatih Yildiz said, citing Ankara’s diplomatic and aid efforts amid ongoing conflict.
Sudan has been gripped by intense fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 15, 2023, triggering what the United Nations describes as the world’s largest displacement crisis and causing severe damage to infrastructure, the economy, health care and education.
Yildiz said the conflict entered one of its most tragic phases about two months ago, when Sudanese army forces withdrew from El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, allowing RSF fighters to enter the city.
Following the RSF takeover on Oct. 26, El Fasher witnessed one of the largest displacement waves of the conflict, Yildiz said, noting that the city had already been under siege since May 2024.
According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 civilians were forced to flee the city after the latest developments.
Yildiz said information from El Fasher remains extremely limited due to what he described as a “blackout,” adding that Türkiye has strongly condemned atrocities against civilians and called for an end to the fighting.
Yildiz said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statements following the events in El Fasher were directed not only at Türkiye but at the international community as a whole.
He noted that Erdogan’s calls prompted Turkish humanitarian institutions to mobilize rapidly.
Under presidential instructions, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and the Turkish Red Crescent were deployed to the field shortly after the escalation.
An AFAD delegation led by Deputy President Hamza Tasdelen visited Sudan the following week to assess needs on the ground and deliver aid in camps hosting displaced people, Yildiz said.
The Turkish Red Crescent has been operating in Sudan for about a month, distributing humanitarian supplies in camps sheltering people displaced from El Fasher, Yildiz said, adding that around 60 tons of aid have been delivered so far.
He said aid operations have covered Port Sudan, Atbara and Khartoum, with a focus on those displaced from North Darfur, while also reaching other conflict-affected areas.
Looking ahead, Yildiz said one of AFAD’s most significant upcoming efforts will be the delivery of 30,000 tents for those displaced from El Fasher.
More than 20,000 tents have already been dispatched on two ships, with a third shipment planned, he said.
The tents are expected to arrive in Port Sudan starting next week.
AFAD is coordinating the effort with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to ensure access to affected populations in and around El Fasher, Yildiz said, noting that international organizations have greater reach in those areas.
Yildiz added that Erdogan’s appeal also mobilized Turkish nongovernmental organizations, which have been distributing humanitarian aid and hot meals in Port Sudan and other areas hosting displaced people since early November.
He said Turkish NGOs are working in coordination with the embassy and are expected to expand their activities in Sudan in the coming period.
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