The civil war in Sudan and the resulting humanitarian crisis has displaced roughly 1,4 million civilians since its eruption in mid-April, the United Nations said Sunday in a new report.
The hostilities between the conflicting parties have induced an ongoing wave of displacement, with citizens moving within the country or crossing into neighbouring countries.
In their quest for safety, the people of Sudan have been uprooted from their homes and dispersed across the borders.
Since the fierce battle for control broke out on April 15, thousands of people have been forced to relocate within the war-torn country.
According to the UN’s International Organization for Migration, “The number of newly internally displaced people in just over five weeks (15 April to 23 May) is comparable to that recorded for all displacement in the country from 2020 to 2022.’’
As the conflict intensified, more than 345,000 fled war zones into neighbouring countries, including Egypt, Chad, and Ethiopia.
The imposed displacement has exposed Sudanese people to diverse forms of violence and exploitation. The UN Population Fund emphasised that reports of gender-based violence and domestic violence have been on the rise, notably among the internally displaced population.
Reports of sexual violence against women and girls accuse the involved parties of abusing the chaos to commit heinous acts of sexual assault.
The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has heavily impacted the country’s process for democratic transition.
Despite the agreement for a temporary ceasefire, the tension and violence have been escalating to frightening degrees.
While thousands of foreign diplomats and citizens have been able to escape the country as international and regional powers intervened to evacuate their people, thousands of underprivileged families have been forced to endanger their lives and embark on risky journeys.
Repeated attacks on civilian facilities and supplies have exacerbated the crisis in Sudan and precipitated a challenging state of emergency.
The World Health Organization reported that at least 38 attacks targeted healthcare premises in Sudan since April 15. This includes 22 attacks on health facilities, six attacks on warehouses, and nine attacks which impacted supplies, just to mention a few.
Since the civil war started, more than 730 have lost their lives and at least 5,500 received serious injuries. No less than eight humanitarian workers and eight health workers have been killed in the deadly attacks carried out by the parties.
At least 30 children, including newborns, have lost their lives in hospitals of East Darfur because of oxygen shortage and electricity problems, WHO reported.
Besides, there have been increasing reports confirming that many homes, schools, banks, government institutions and humanitarian locations in the western Sudanese town of Zalingi have been looted.
The UN stressed that humanitarian partners are operating to provide timely responses to the emergency situation in Sudan, however, insecurity and transportation problems are real obstacles hurdling the delivery of relief supplies.
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