7 million people internally displaced in Sudan: IOM

September 5, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – Nearly 7.1 million people are internally displaced within Sudan, of whom more than half are newly displaced as a result of the conflict, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday.

The displacements are as a result of the violence that erupted mid-April between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Force (SAF).

According to IOM, most internally displaced persons (IDPs) are in River Nile, East Darfur, Northern, South Darfur, Sennar and White Nile states of war-torn Sudan.

Khartoum continues to be rocked by violence, with fighting resuming at the weekend. Scores of women and children were reportedly killed in army air strikes.

The conflict, IOM said in its statement, has caused a severe humanitarian crisis as shortages of food, water, medicines, and fuel have become extremely acute.

“Prices of essential goods have dramatically increased due to disrupted trade routes and limited access, making them unaffordable for those remaining in besieged towns and cities across Sudan,” partly noted the statement.

Also reported during the conflict are widespread human rights violations, including gender-based violence, forced displacements and killings of civilians.

Since the onset of the violence, more than one million people have reportedly fled to neighbouring countries, with Chad receiving the most arrivals followed by Egypt, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Central African Republic (CAR) and Libya.

There are also concerns that needs are at an all-time high, with 24.7 million people or half of the population in Sudan in need of humanitarian aid and protection.

“The people of Sudan deserve peace. Any further escalation of violence would further devastate the country and the region,” said Federico Soda, IOM Director of the Department of Operations and Emergencies.

Intensified hostilities, fighting and other obstacles faced by aid organizations continue to make access to people in need extremely challenging in many areas of the country.

On Monday, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said it now expects 1.8 million people to flee Sudan by year-end and appealed for $1 billion to help them amid reports of rising disease and death rates.

(ST)