100,000 Sudanese refugees enter Libya after crossing Sahara
Facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent memory, nearly 100,000 Sudanese refugees have fled from their homes engulfed in war and taken a perilous journey to arrive in war-torn Libya on August 13th, according to the New Arab and agencies.
Southern areas of Libya have received around 96,000 refugees from Sudan after crossing the arid landscape of the Al-Kufra region. NGOs have declared an emergency situation in the region, which sees thousands of women and children in need of urgent medical care and humanitarian support.
2,500 to 3,000 more people are expected to reach Libya daily in the coming month, according to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), which warns that the regional humanitarian crisis will escalate if the shortage of aid supplies continues.
Jared Rowell, Country Director for IRC Libya, stated, “People from Sudan have faced unimaginable trauma whilst fleeing conflict. They arrive in southern Libya severely traumatised, malnourished and often needing medical care,”
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“Our teams have reported that large numbers of families, along with unaccompanied children and survivors of gender-based violence, are arriving in Libya. This situation underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive protection response.”
The IRC has supported over 17,000 Sudanese refugees – 58% of whom are women and girls by providing vital medical services to those in need in Libya. However, the organisation urgently needs more assistance to handle growing numbers.
The Sudanese Civil War started in April 2023 following plans to integrate the RSF and regular army under a political transition towards elections. Sudan now faces the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, which sees half of the country’s population thrown into starvation whilst also pushing 10 million out of their homes.
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The international community has attempted many times to end the fighting. However, no end seems in sight, especially following the failed assassination attempt on Sudan’s Army Chief General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.
Calculating an accurate death toll amidst the fog of war has been near impossible, though the number ranges between 15,000 and 150,000.
Parts of Darfur, where scenes of intense fighting have been witnessed, currently see its inhabitants facing the most severe level of hunger.
“We call this stage catastrophe,” the UN said.
The New Arab and agencies
