Sudan clashes displace over 119,000, aid access remains critical

October 30, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – More than 119,000 people have been displaced by fighting in Sudan’s Al Jazirah state since October 20, the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) said on Tuesday, as a U.S. envoy warned of dire humanitarian conditions amid restricted aid access.

Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) drove people from their homes in Sharg Al Jazirah and Um Algura localities to seek refuge in neighbouring states, the DTM said.

The violence compounds a humanitarian crisis that has left 6.5 million people facing starvation and 25 million in need of urgent assistance, U.S. envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello said on X social media platform.

Perriello criticized Sudanese authorities for blocking or delaying 90% of emergency relief supplies at Port Sudan. “For those suffering in Kadugli or Khartoum, Nyala or the north, we should find common ground on how to streamline the flow of emergency food and medicine to every corner of Sudan as quickly as possible,” he said.

DTM teams reported displacement from Tamboul and surrounding villages, but widespread telecommunication outages hindered assessments in other affected locations. The DTM added that the situation remains tense and unpredictable.

The agency recorded civilian deaths and injuries but did not provide specific figures. Displaced people primarily sought shelter in Gedaref, Kassala and River Nile states.