Internally displaced in Sudan conflict nears 10 million
The ongoing Sudan conflict stands as the world’s greatest humanitarian tragedy with internal displacement, food insecurity, and ethnic violence rising. As the country approaches 15 months of fighting, humanitarian agencies are struggling to find funds to address the vast suffering.
The UN said on June 14th that the number of internally displaced due to the civil war might soon exceed 10 million, according to AP.
The Sudan conflict which broke out in April 2023, reignited ethnic violence in the Darfur region and has resulted in the world’s largest displacement crisis.
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Mohamed Refaat, Sudan Chief of Mission for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) asked: “How much suffering and loss of life must the people of Sudan endure before the world takes notice? Isn’t ten million internally-displaced enough to compel urgent global action?”
“Every one of those ten million displaced lives represent a profound human tragedy that demands urgent attention,” he added.
The agency recently recorded 9.9 mil internally displaced Sudanese people, from 2.8 before the outbreak of war.
In total, some 12 million people have been forced to flee their homes, with more than two million crossing into neighbouring countries, such as Egypt and Chad.
Refaat claimed more than half of the internally displaced people in Sudan are women, a quarter are children under five, and that aid agencies were struggling to manage rising needs with a lack of funds “impeding efforts to provide adequate shelter, food, and medical assistance.”
“Serious concerns are mounting about the long-term impact of displacement on Sudan’s social and economic fabric,” he added.
UN agencies have warned that Sudan is at “imminent risk of famine”, with around 18 million people acutely hungry, including 3.6 million acutely malnourished children.
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As reported by the BBC, UN World Programme (WFP) officials warn that a further 7 mil people face food insecurity in South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011.
AP / BBC
