GEREIDA, South Darfur — A devastating fire tore through the Um Baloula displacement camp on Saturday, leaving at least 350 families homeless and destroying hundreds of shelters. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed the scale of the disaster in a statement Tuesday, highlighting the extreme vulnerability of Darfur’s displaced population as Sudan’s conflict nears its third year.

The blaze erupted on April 11, 2026, in the town of Gereida, South Darfur. Fueled by high winds and the highly combustible straw and wood used to build makeshift shelters, the fire spread rapidly through the densely packed site.

According to IOM assessments, the blaze completely incinerated 350 shelters and partially damaged 104 others. As a result, 350 families have been forced to relocate to open-air sites within Gereida, where they remain highly vulnerable without even basic protection from the elements.

The tragedy at Um Baloula is the latest in a string of fires that have plagued displacement camps across Darfur in recent weeks. Narrow access roads and extreme overcrowding have made it nearly impossible for local residents or aid workers to contain the flames once they start.

Just weeks ago, a similar inferno in North Darfur’s Tawila locality destroyed over 900 homes, resulting in the death of a child. Humanitarian agencies warn that the "dry season" significantly elevates the risk for millions living in makeshift camps across the region.

This disaster strikes a population already reeling from the ongoing war between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has displaced roughly 13 million people and pushed the nation to the brink of famine.

"These families have already lost everything once to violence," a local aid responder noted. "To see their remaining scraps of safety go up in flames is a catastrophic blow to their survival."

The IOM and local partners are calling for immediate international support to provide emergency shelter kits to replace destroyed homes, along with essential non-food items like blankets, cooking utensils, and water containers. Additionally, the appeal emphasizes the need for psychosocial support to help families navigate the repeated trauma of displacement and this latest disaster.

As the families of Um Baloula huddle in the open spaces of Gereida, the incident serves as a grim reminder of the precarious existence faced by Darfur’s displaced millions.