OCHA: ‘5.5 million now displaced by Sudan conflict’

Since the start of fighting in Sudan in mid-April, more than 5.5 million people have been displaced from their homes. Sudan’s Ministry of Health reports that more than 1,200 people have been killed and 8,396 injured due to fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Only a third of the necessary funding for humanitarian provisions has been raised, says the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

In its latest situation update on Saturday, OCHA reports that Sudan’s displaced peoples have sought refuge in 4,403 different locations across Sudan’s 18 states. 1.1 million have crossed to Sudan’s neighbouring countries.

Seventy per cent of healthcare facilities are not working, drastically reducing the availability of healthcare for millions of people. Health pressures are escalating given the growing cases of dengue fever, cholera, measles, and acute watery diarrhoea. More than 72,000 people across seven states have been affected by heavy rains, worsening displaced peoples’ vulnerability to disease.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phrase Classification (IPC) the number of acutely food insecure people in Sudan is set to reduce by an estimated 5.3 million from October onwards, and by about 15 million up to February 2024. Areas which will be most impacted by food insecurity include Central Darfur, Khartoum, South Darfur and West Darfur, which will constitute approximately 42 per cent of food insecure people throughout the next five months.

Humanitarian access

OCHA reports of various impediments to humanitarian access. These include visa delays, with an average of “only 22 percent of visa requests submitted by international NGOs” being processed as of 4 October. Only 23 per cent of the UN’s visa requests have been processed since 20 August.

The delivery of humanitarian supplies to Darfur, Kordofan and the White Nile region has been postponed for the fourth consecutive week due to insecurity. The arrival of 71 trucks to these regions was postponed due to RSF and SAF clashes in Wad Ashana on North Kordofan. OCHA continues to monitor the situation and is co-ordinating with the Darfur Forces to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance.

OCHA reported that the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) completed the distribution of 40 tonnes of food aid to 1,000 families (about 5,000 people) in the River Nile localities on Tuesday. Recipients of the aid were impacted by recent floods and conflict between SAF and RSF. The two-week parcels, containing “sugar, tea, vegetable oil, rice, lentils, and flour” alongside non-food items, were delivered in in coordination with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS).