Over One Million People Flee Sudan Conflict, Seek Refuge in South Sudan: UN Report
Juba, South Sudan – The conflict in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023 between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), has led to one of the world’s most dire displacement crises. According to the United Nations, more than one million people have fled the ongoing violence to seek safety in neighboring South Sudan.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) released updated figures on Tuesday, revealing that over 770,000 individuals have crossed into South Sudan through the Joda border crossing alone in the past 21 months. Tens of thousands more have entered the country through other routes, pushing the total number of arrivals to over one million.
A Growing Humanitarian Crisis
Sanaa Abdalla Omer, a representative of the UNHCR, emphasized the gravity of the situation:
“The arrival of over a million people into South Sudan is a stark and sobering statistic and truly shows the increasing scale of this crisis.”
The majority of those fleeing into South Sudan are South Sudanese nationals who had initially sought refuge in Sudan to escape their own country’s civil war. These returnees, along with new refugees, are straining South Sudan’s already limited resources.
Two transit centers in Renk County, located near South Sudan’s northern border with Sudan, are designed to accommodate fewer than 5,000 people but are currently hosting over 16,000 individuals.
Omer acknowledged the extraordinary generosity of South Sudanese communities, who have welcomed displaced individuals despite their own struggles. However, she stressed the need for international support:
“The people of South Sudan continue to show extraordinary generosity, welcoming those in need and sharing what little resources they have, but they cannot shoulder this massive responsibility alone.”
Severe Resource Strain in South Sudan
The influx of refugees has overwhelmed critical infrastructure in South Sudan. Essential services such as healthcare, water, and shelter are described as “dangerously overstretched,” prompting the UN to appeal for increased humanitarian aid.
The challenges extend beyond basic resources. The ongoing conflict in Sudan has displaced millions internally, with severe consequences for food security. The UN-backed Famine Review Committee of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) recently confirmed famine conditions in several areas of Sudan, including displacement camps in North Darfur and the Nuba Mountains.
Escalating Violence and Famine in Sudan
As the war approaches its second anniversary, both the RSF and SAF continue to exchange accusations of war crimes, including targeting civilians and shelling residential areas indiscriminately. The violence has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and left half of Sudan’s population—approximately 25 million people—facing acute hunger.
Last month, the IPC released a report confirming famine conditions in five critical areas, including:
Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur
Abu Shouk and al-Salam camps in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur
Communities in the Nuba Mountains in southern Sudan
The report highlighted the dire conditions in Sudan’s largest displacement camp, Zamzam, as well as in other besieged communities.
Call for Urgent International Action
With the situation deteriorating on both sides of the border, the UN and humanitarian organizations are calling for immediate global assistance. The influx of refugees into South Sudan—already one of the world’s poorest nations—is a stark reminder of the far-reaching consequences of Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
Enhanced funding and support are urgently needed to address the dual crises of displacement and famine, ensuring the survival of millions affected by this devastating war.
Source : Swifteradio.com
