Inter-communal violence displaces over 32,000 in W. Kordofan, Blue Nile states
December 18, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – At least 32,777 people were displaced in parts of Sudan’s West Kordofan and Blue Nile following last month’s inter-communal clashes in the two states, the United Nations said in a report.
This year, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated, conflict displaced about 298,050 people in West Kordofan and Blue Nile states.
The 2022 figure, it disclosed, was 19 percent lesser the one recorded in 2021.
“In addition, 896 people were killed and another 1,092 injured as a result of conflict and violence – a 33% and 125% increase respectively compared to 2021,” partly noted OCHA’s report.
Overall, 334 security incidents due to localised conflict and armed attacks have been reported in 2022, including 45 incidents in November. In 2021 – 238 incidents were reported, including 33 in November 2021, according to the agency.
Humanitarian partners, OCHA said, reached 9.1 million people with some form of humanitarian assistance. This includes about 8.4 million people who received food and livelihood assistance, 4.7 million people were able to access health services, 3.6 million reached with water, sanitation and hygiene services, and 1.7 million reached with protection services, from January to September 2022.
“However, in many instances it was not the full assistance packages or the full range of service provide as agencies had to reduce or curtail the scope of response due to lack of funding,” it noted.
Last month, the world body and its partners launched a $1.7 billion Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan to meet the needs of some 6.8 million vulnerable people in 2023.
In its appeal, the UN said Sudan is burdened by a number of challenges, including armed conflicts, natural disasters, disease outbreaks and economic decline.
The UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Khardiata Lo N’Diaye, said one in three Sudanese is in need of life-saving assistance, adding that over three million displaced people are currently in areas of armed conflict, especially in Darfur and Blue Nile.
(ST)