3.1 million Sudanese have fled their homes. ‘Nightmare’ in Sudan: More than 14 million have fled their homes Humanitarian aid
Mass killings, sexual violence and escalating fighting in Sudan have led to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with the number of civilians forced to flee their homes exceeding 11 million people inside the country alone, UN agencies said on Tuesday.
“The situation in Sudan is catastrophic. There is no other way to put it. Famine, disease and sexual violence are rampant. It is a living nightmare for the people of Sudan,” said Amy Pope, head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Intervention Force (RIF) that erupted in April 2023 has displaced 11 million people within Sudan, while 3.1 million Sudanese have fled the country, the IOM said on Tuesday.
Attacks Escalate
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed “extreme concern” on Tuesday over the sharp escalation of fighting in Sudan’s Al Jazeera state.
The situation worsened after RRF commander Abu Aqla Kaykal defected to the military government on October 20, according to the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR). In response, the RRF launched a series of attacks against members of Abu Aqla Kaykal’s ethnic group, killing at least 124 people in the village of Al Seriha on Friday.
Thousands of families have reportedly fled Al Jazeera state as a result of the violence.
“All wars are brutal, but the toll of this war is particularly horrific,” said Amy Pope. “Civilians, including young children, are being killed in indiscriminate attacks. Some of the worst-hit areas remain completely cut off from humanitarian aid.”
Sexual Violence
A new report by the UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission reveals widespread sexual violence by the RSF, particularly in Khartoum, Darfur and Gezira. Experts say such actions amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“The scale of sexual violence we have documented in Sudan is staggering,” said Mohamed Chande Othman, chair of the mission mandated by the Human Rights Council to investigate crimes in Sudan. “The situation faced by vulnerable civilians, in particular women and girls of all ages, is deeply troubling.”
Response
Despite the scale of the needs, humanitarian organizations working in Sudan are severely underfunded. The UN has received 52 percent of its requested funds. Donors have provided IOM with only 20 percent of the resources it needs, but the organization has assisted almost three million people since the war began.
“Sudan is perhaps the most forgotten crisis in the world today. Collective inaction means the crisis could spread to neighboring countries,” Pope warned.
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