More than 330,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Sudan because of fighting between the army and a paramilitary group. Over 100,000 of these people have crossed the country’s borders to escape the violence. The United Nations (UN) has warned that more than 800,000 people could flee to neighbouring countries if the conflict continues. The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said that at least 334,000 people have been internally displaced by the fighting since it began on 15 April.
Of those who have fled, around 72% – or approximately 240,000 people – have moved to West and South Darfur. The IOM has said that the number of people displaced in the past two weeks is greater than all the conflict-related displacement in Sudan in 2022. Despite this, the UN’s aid appeals for Sudan in 2023 are $1.5bn short and only 14% funded. The UN’s humanitarian agency has called for this funding gap to be filled as soon as possible.
UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency, has noted that many of those who fled Sudan to neighbouring countries were already refugees who had been living in Sudan. The agency has estimated that over 100,000 refugees are among those who have fled, including South Sudanese who returned home prematurely. UNHCR spokesperson Olga Sarrado has said that the situation is concerning and that more resources are needed to support those affected by the conflict.
