Sudan contests UN data on Al Jazirah displaced persons

November 6, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudan’s government on Wednesday disputed U.N. estimates of the number of people displaced by recent violence in eastern Al Jazhirah state, where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been accused of widespread abuses.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on October 28 that attacks by the RSF in Al Jazirah had killed dozens of civilians, injured others, and displaced some 46,700 people.

However, Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, Salwa Adam Binia, called the figures “questionable,” saying OCHA had not conducted proper assessments on the ground.

“The numbers may be inflated or lower than the true figure,” Binia said, adding that local committees were conducting daily counts and a technical team would visit affected areas to determine accurate figures.

She acknowledged that displacement was ongoing and said the government was working to assess needs and provide aid.

Binia condemned the violence against civilians in eastern Al Jazirah and said the government had allocated significant humanitarian assistance to those affected.

On Wednesday, a convoy carrying food and shelter supplies left Port Sudan for areas where displaced people from eastern Al Jazirah have sought refuge in Gedaref, Kassala, and River Nile states.

The RSF, a paramilitary group, launched attacks in eastern Al Jaiz on October 21 after its local commander defected to the army. The targeted areas are considered his strongholds.

The RSF and the Sudanese army have been locked in a violent conflict since April, which has displaced millions of people nationwide and created a severe humanitarian crisis. Both sides have been accused of human rights abuses.