© UNHCR/Ying Hu
Sudan
Why the humanitarian crisis in Sudan needs urgent attention
Over 10 million people have fled since the start of the civil war in Sudan.
Sudan
Over 10 million people have fled since the start of the civil war in Sudan.
A brutal civil war is raging in Sudan between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
The scale of this conflict is staggering. Since the war broke out in April 2023, thousands of people have been killed and 10 million have been forced to flee for their lives. Violence continues to escalate, with atrocities committed against ordinary civilians, including children. Many families remain trapped in conflict zones, unable to flee.
Those who do manage to escape are in desperate need of aid and protection – particularly women and children.
Millions of people are desperately seeking safety and protection, both inside Sudan and in bordering countries such as Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia and Central African Republic. Many of the communities hosting refugees and displaced people are extremely vulnerable and struggling to support new arrivals.
Nyapuot Riak Dup, 33, recalls the day when a piece of shrapnel ripped through her house in Omdurman. She and her husband grabbed a few essentials and fled with their seven children and her 70-year-old mother. It was the start of a harrowing two-day journey to safety.
“What we saw on the streets of Khartoum was extremely disturbing,” says Nyapuot. “There were so many bodies lying on the road. The whole city was in ruins.”
Nyapuot and her family eventually reached the safety of a camp in Sudan’s White Nile State. Over a million people have sought shelter in makeshift camps in the region.
Despite the conflict in her country, Nyapuot wants to remain in Sudan. “I hope to return to Khartoum when the fighting stops, but in the meantime I will stay here.”
With so many people searching for safety, finding adequate shelter is a major challenge.
Babiker Suliman, a Sudanese father of 10, fled from Sudan's North Darfur state to neighbouring South Sudan.
“We walked for a week to escape the violence,” says Babiker. “We left everything behind and were separated from our relatives. When we first arrived here, we had to sleep outside on the road. It was windy and difficult; it was particularly difficult for my 90-year-old mother.”
Babiker is among more than 9,000 people currently gathered at a transit centre in Renk, South Sudan. UNHCR’s teams are on the ground, providing new arrivals with temporary shelter and basic assistance, and arranging transport to more permanent camps.
So far, UNHCR has been able to provide over 265,000 people with shelter or housing assistance in host countries – but the need is growing daily.
With so many people in need of assistance, healthcare resources in Sudan and neighbouring countries are over-stretched. Disease outbreaks have been reported, including measles, dengue and cholera.
UNHCR’s emergency teams are providing essential primary healthcare at camps and border crossings, including maternal healthcare, vaccinations, and malnutrition screening and treatment. But the healthcare needs of displaced people are only increasing as conditions in camps deteriorate, with limited access to water and hygiene facilities.
Almost five million people in Sudan are at risk of famine. Nearly 50,000 malnourished children have been identified in Chad alone.
Fatima Adam Muhammad fled El Geneina, Sudan, after her teenage son Mizamir was killed by gunmen from the RSF. She and her four surviving sons have found shelter at a refugee camp in eastern Chad. The 37-year-old recalls the day her son was shot with quiet grief.
“I wanted to cry, but [the RSF] beat and brutalised me so badly I passed out,” says Fatima.
Despite her tragedy and pain, Fatima cannot afford to dwell on the past. With four other sons to feed, her focus is on getting the next meal.
“I get very sad when I think about what happened, but then my thoughts turn to food,” she says.
The security situation, damage to critical infrastructure such as roads, and the looming rainy season all threaten to cut millions of people off from life-saving aid, including food.
Women and girls are facing high levels of gender-based violence in Sudan. Many of those seeking asylum have also experienced or witnessed harassment, abduction, sexual assault and other forms of violence during their journeys.
UNHCR is working hard to provide services to address gender-based violence, including medical services and psychosocial support. However, much more aid is needed.
In July and August, torrential rains across the region fill dry riverbeds with fast-flowing torrents of muddy water. This makes some areas inaccessible and hampers UNHCR’s ability to deliver aid.
The threat of flooding only adds to the urgent need for durable shelters in more secure locations.
“These people are living on borrowed time,” says Benoit Kayembe Mukendi, a UNHCR field officer. “We need to help them to move to established camps before the rains come.”
UNHCR’s teams are on the ground right now, delivering life-saving aid wherever possible. Dedicated teams are identifying the most vulnerable, especially women and children, and providing care and protection.
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