United Nations in Sudan

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Sudan:

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Publication

29 September 2024

Women and girls of Sudan: Fortitude amid the flame of war

This publication provides a detailed analysis of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan, focusing on its disproportionate impact on women and girls. As the country faces the largest internal displacement since the Syrian civil war, millions of Sudanese, particularly women and children, are grappling with severe challenges.This report highlights key data on displacement, malnutrition, lack of access to healthcare, gender-based violence, and food insecurity. It also explores how deeply entrenched gender inequality exacerbates the vulnerabilities of female-headed households and the critical barriers women face in accessing essential resources. It also offers a comprehensive overview of the socio-economic and health impacts on women and girls, drawing from recent assessments and data.The report emphasizes the need for targeted humanitarian interventions. We consider it as an essential resource for understanding the gender dimensions of Sudan’s humanitarian crisis and calls for focused action to mitigate its effects.

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Speech

25 September 2024

Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan calls for end of hostilities, protection of civilians, and unimpeded access

Port Sudan -- As world leaders gather for the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Ms. Clementine Nkweta-Salami, urged Member States and the international community to focus on the plight of millions of people in Sudan who have endured more than 17 months of brutal conflict, which has resulted in the world’s fastest-growing civilian displacement and humanitarian crisis.“Humanitarians across Sudan are calling on the international community to step up to end the devastating conflict and ensure unrestricted access so that more than 150 aid organizations operating in the country can reach the millions of people facing acute hunger and disease – and staring down famine,” Ms. NkwetaSalami said.The crisis in Sudan and the region will take centre stage at UN Headquarters on Wednesday, 25 September, when Member States join together with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the UN Refugee Agency, to call for urgent and collective support to address the humanitarian catastrophe and push for peace.“This is exactly why the UN was created: to prevent war and alleviate human suffering,” the Humanitarian Coordinator added. "Each passing hour means women and children in parts of El Fasher, Khartoum, Aj Jazirah, Sennar and other areas directly affected by conflict are likely dying from hostilities, malnutrition, or illness.”Since the conflict erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, an estimated 20,000 people have been killed and thousands of others injured. More than 10 million people – or over one in every five people – have fled their homes, including 8.1 million who have been displaced within Sudan and another 2.4 million who crossed the borders to neighbouring and other countries.In recent days, at least 1,500 people were displaced from El Fasher, capital of North Darfur State following the escalation of hostilities in the town. “Once again, I urge the parties to halt attacks on civilians, homes and essential facilities, such as hospitals, which are protected under the international humanitarian law,” Ms. Nkweta-Salami said.The situation in and around El Fasher is of particular concern, after the Famine Review Committee of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification confirmed famine conditions in the Zamzam displacement camp in August. Another 13 areas, including two other displacement camps in North Darfur, are likely experiencing similar conditions and need urgent access and assistance.Meanwhile, the outbreak of cholera and incidences of water or vector-borne diseases are aggravating the already dire situation that malnourished people, especially children and women, are facing. According to the Sudanese authorities, the number of cholera cases reported over the past two months has reached 13,300, including 415 related deaths.Despite insecurity, access and funding challenges, humanitarian partners provided more than 8 million people across Sudan with some form of humanitarian assistance this year. Over the past week, humanitarian organizations started distributing emergency food aid for about 180,000 people in Zamzam camp.Meanwhile, following the re-opening of the Adre border point between Chad and Sudan, UN aid agencies have moved 135 trucks with essential life-saving supplies for about 520,000 people via the crossing. “The aid through Adre and food for people in Zamzam camp, where famine has been confirmed, are a testament to what the UN and humanitarian partners can accomplish,” the Humanitarian Coordinator said. “However, unrestricted access and additional funding are critical to reach more people in acute need.”Nine months into the year, the Sudan humanitarian appeal, seeking US$2.7 billion, is less than 50 per cent funded. This is constraining and limiting the response efforts of the UN, international and national NGOs on the ground, including in Darfur, Khartoum, Kordofan and other areas.

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Press Release

01 September 2024

Deputy Secretary-General's press encounter at the conclusion of her visit to Sudan

Thank you very much, and we very much appreciate the one day that we have had here in the Port of Sudan, where we have met with the Government, and we have met with many stakeholders. The visit has been at the opportunity of the Government opening up the border in Adre. The humanitarian task that we have in Sudan has been very big. It has been one that we have been consistently supporting the Government to try to address the crisis in the country.The many atrocities that we have seen [inaudible] upon men, women, children, especially, and for that, we wanted to come to speak and to support the Government in keeping that border open and aid to the people that need it most across the country. But in this particular case, this new opening gave us another opportunity.The second, of course, is to bring the international community again to see the visibility of the crisis here in Sudan. It is a huge one. There are many people suffering. It requires enormous support for commitments that have been made to the humanitarian cause, but have to be fulfilled, and they have to be done urgently.We have impending crisis around famine. We are not getting medical supplies in where there are health crises. But more importantly, we have to remember the suffering of the people, and we are here to do this with the Government of Sudan.So that really has been the main reason for coming here. This is not outside of the political processes that are being supported by the United Nations and the Personal Envoy to the Secretary-General, but we would like all of them to happen at the same time, because, of course, the suffering of the people in this country is one of the worst crises in the world today. Question: Was there any discussion about the negotiations between SAF and RSF?Deputy Secretary-General: The discussions that we had with the President and with members of his cabinet were principally around the humanitarian agenda and the urgency of this. Of course, there were discussions to say that, agreed, is the Jeddah process, and that is one that must be actioned, and we must try to do that as urgently as possible. There is consensus there, and there is no reason why that cannot be moved forward.Question: Has there been any progress on agreeing on the procedures for entering Adre?Deputy Secretary-General: Yes, there has. What we have done is to sit down with the humanitarian aid commission, and then we have had discussions on how, first of all, not to stop any of the aid that is available right now going in. But in parallel, to address legitimate concerns of the government and put in procedures that would ensure this aid gets to people where it's meant to.Question: Did you receive any commitment from the Sudan Government to open other borders for aid delivery? Because humanitarians are always speaking about others cross borders, with South Sudan, etc.Deputy Secretary-General: There are many border posts that have already been opened. I believe Adre makes it 11, if I'm not mistaken. That's a number of border openings. What we have to do is to match the openings of these borders with the aid that goes in, and that means resources, and so we need those resources, and we need them now so that we can contend with what we have. As I said, there are many challenges to getting aid to where they are needed. It will be also remiss of me not to say that we have also in consideration, the refugees and the crisis also in Chad. There are many refugees in Chad, and of course, to get through to Adre, you are in Chad. So we're also looking at that. Thank you.

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Story

05 May 2023

Escaping Sudan: Home alone, with warplanes overhead

When fighting erupted in Sudan’s capital Khartoum, 25-year-old Arafa was at home alone with her two young children. “I spent the night in fear, unable to go out of my house, as people were being killed everywhere,” she said, worrying about how she would protect her five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter. Panicked by the sounds of shooting and warplanes flying overhead, she tried calling her husband at work, only to learn from friends that he had been shot dead. No time to mourn With no time to mourn and no clear plan, she fled Khartoum with her two young children in a desperate bid to escape. Setting out by bus, she arrived in Madani, a city 135 kilometres southeast of Khartoum, where a local man offered to help them leave the country. Together with five others, they were driven to Port Sudan, the country’s main eastern seaport. From there they walked for a whole day before finding transport towards the Egyptian border. “I was scared, tired, and without hope,” she said, noting that she spent 80 hours without food or water. “The road was difficult, and the continued sound of gunfire was deafening. I did not think we would make it. I was holding my children in my arms, fearing the war, the journey to asylum, and the long road ahead.” Nowhere else to go After crossing the border, they were eventually driven to Cairo and dropped off in a square in the unfamiliar city. With nowhere else to go, Arafa and her children spent the night on the street. Arafa said that in the morning, a South Sudanese woman was passing by and saw her. “She advised me to go to the office of UNHCR and register with them,” she said, adding that her family is now registered for assistance with the agency and is living with the kind South Sudanese woman. ‘We are together, with the refugees’ Like the other countries neighbouring Sudan that have been impacted by the conflict, Egypt already hosts a large refugee population. With UNHCR operations in these countries already acutely underfunded, the refugee agency said increased support will be vital to respond to the humanitarian needs of those fleeing the violence. That includes about 60,000 Khartoum residents that have fled the city for safety. Randa Osman, an assistant field officer with UNHCR, provided an update from the Shagarab Refugee Camp in eastern Sudan. “Despite the ongoing conflict, we are together, hand by hand, with the refugees, listening to them, and being with the people we serve in all situations in Sudan,” she said. Amid airstrikes, armed attacks, and urban warfare, more than 100,000 Sudanese have already reportedly escaped into neighbouring countries, with their harrowing stories echoing the plight of tens of thousands of others who are frantically fleeing, since fierce fighting between rival military groups began on 15 April. Devastating chaos For Marwa, who was preparing breakfast for her 11-month-old son in their home near Khartoum airport on that morning, life changed in an instant. The humanitarian worker had planned on that Saturday to welcome home her husband from a trip ahead of Eid celebrations. Instead, after days of devastating chaos, shooting, and violence, she wended through embattled streets to find a way to escape. Grabbing a few belongings, including some medication and some clothes, she joined thousands of other families fleeing for safety. Her journey from Khartoum to Egypt was a stressful, exhausting mix of heat, hunger, fear, sleepless nights, and mosquito bites, she said. Now in a safe place, Marwa said she feels helpless, unable to help those who have remained behind. “As a person working in the humanitarian field, it was very hard for me to see this situation but be unable to help,” she said. “My husband is still in Kassala, and we have no idea how we’ll be reunited. We’re still trying to work that out.” Fleeing with nothing “We fled Sudan for Chad,” said Halime Issakh Oumar, who is now a refugee. “We want to be safe. There is no security. We came with nothing, not even food or something to drink.” The stories of Arafa, Marwa, and Halime mirror those of almost 21,000 Sudanese who sought refuge in neighbouring Chad. Another 10,000 Sudanese have fled to Central African Republic, and, as of Thursday, 47,000 have escaped to safety in Egypt, according UN reports. In these countries as well as neighbouring Ethiopia and South Sudan, thousands of men, women, and children are arriving, some after perilous journeys, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and other UN entities. Assisting growing numbers of refugees Africa’s second largest refugee-hosting country, Sudan hosts more than 1.14 million refugees. Before the onset of the conflict, more than 3.7 million people were internally displaced, and now, there are many more, UNHCR said. As the warring military factions have repeatedly broken fragile ceasefire agreements, several UN agencies say the numbers of refugees will continue to grow. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is currently recording more than 1,000 daily arrivals in Ethiopia, where the majority – 39 per cent – are returning Ethiopians, and 17 per cent are Sudanese and third country nationals from more than 50 other countries. Raghuveer Sharma, who moved to Sudan from India in 2021, had worked at a steel plant outside Khartoum at the outset of the conflict. For a full week, armed groups had entered the premises daily, looting and firing weapons indiscriminately, taking a hostage, and demanding vehicles and mobile phones, he told UN News. “We made a plan that as soon as armed groups entered the guest house, we would not let them come inside,” he said. “As long as we had vehicles and mobile phones, our lives would be spared.” Grateful for being evacuated, he said he hopes the situation in Sudan returns to normal soon. A ‘perfect storm’ The UN estimates that as many as 270,000 Sudanese could end up crossing the seven international borders of the 48 million-strong nation – the third largest country in Africa. UNHCR said on Thursday that the agency is expecting an outflow of 860,000 refugees and returnees from Sudan. The World Food Programme (WFP) warned of “a perfect storm” in Chad, where the influx of refugees is unfolding weeks before the onset of the lean season between harvests, which is expected to leave an estimated 1.9 million people severely food insecure. Pounding rains arriving about the same time, threaten to turn swathes of desert into rivers, imperiling deliveries of key food assistance to the refugees and other vulnerable groups, the agency said. “It’s a perfect storm,” said Pierre Honnorat, WFP Country Director and Representative in Chad. “The lean season coming in June, and the rainy season that will cut off all those regions.” Everything lost ‘in the blink of an eye’ The Sudanese people’s stories paint a somber picture of how conflict can instantaneously shatter lives. A 16-year-old Sudanese girl had made it across the Chadian border to safety. “I would love to go back to my country,” she said, “but only if we are safe there.” While many have managed to escape the fighting and reach safety, Arafa said her own family’s future feels far from secure. “I can’t believe I am here in Egypt now, but I am still afraid of everything,” Arafa said. “I need help. I am afraid of the future. I lost my home, my husband, and my country in the blink of an eye. I don’t want to lose my children too. I want them to be safe.” UN in action Across the border towns lacing Sudan, UN agencies are working to help those in need. Here is a snapshot of some of what is happening on the ground: In Chad and Sudan, UN agencies are bringing in more than 70,000 core relief items from its global stockpiles. In Egypt, the UN is conducting an assessment mission on the needs of people fleeing Sudan. The UN and the Egyptian Red Crescent are delivering water, food, wheelchairs, and hygiene and sanitary kits to new arrivals. A social media account and website run by UNHCR offers up-to-date information for refugees in Egypt. UNHCR launched a preliminary inter-agency regional refugee response plan on Thursday to address urgent financial needs as soon as possible, which requires $445 million to support the displaced until October. At border crossings, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provides families with essential items and medical services. IOM is providing such support services as transportation and accommodation to refugees and returnees at border areas, where the agency has set up transit centres. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) continues to support partners to provide life-saving health care, distribute supplies for safe births, and to manage obstetric emergencies through a network of midwives. WFP provides assistance in the region, and it is urgently appealing for emergency funding, including at least $145.6 million to continue supporting newly arrived and existing refugees in Chad, along with host communities. This article first appeared in UN News.

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Hundreds of newly arrived Sudanese refugees gather to receive UNHCR relief kits at the Madjigilta site in Chad's Ouaddaï region.

Story

31 October 2024

WHO trains health workers on rehabilitation in conflict

Since the onset of the war in Sudan in April 2023, many thousands of people have been injured, creating an enormous surge in complex life-changing injuries that require rehabilitation care. The non-conflict related needs for rehabilitation, such as for those who have experienced a stroke or for children with disability, remain or have increased due to consequences of displacement. Accessing rehabilitation services has become more complex while the need has grown. Many rehabilitation services, including the National Prosthetics and Orthotics Centre in Khartoum, have closed or are inaccessible. The war has severely disrupted those that remain, and much of the workforce has been displaced. Facilities cannot obtain materials and equipment needed to carry out their work, and assistive products such as wheelchairs and crutches are scarce.World Health Assembly resolution 76.6 reaffirmed that rehabilitation is an essential health service in emergencies. Not accessing or delayed access to rehabilitation services can have severe consequences for patients, resulting in secondary complications and preventable disability. Conversely, with early access to quality rehabilitation services, the length of hospital stay can be reduced, complications prevented or minimized, an individual’s independence optimized, and participation in community life enhanced. As a direct result, rehabilitation is a wise investment amid conflict, reducing the cost of ongoing care, optimizing patient outcomes, and supporting individuals to participate in education and employment.Even before the onset of conflict, rehabilitation services in Sudan were fragmented and poorly integrated into the health system. They were mostly only available to those able to pay out of pocket and primarily only available in the Capital, Khartoum, which is now at the centre of the conflict. Now, the need for rehabilitation services in Sudan has never been greater, and each rehabilitation professional is a precious resource for the health system.In May 2024, WHO, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development, delivered a five-day training course on rehabilitation in conflict in Port Sudan. The training included practical sessions on prioritizing patients, clinical scenarios, and an in-depth overview of managing complex patients in low-resource settings, such as burns and spinal cord injuries. The training course was the first of its kind to be run by WHO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and it is hoped it can be used as a model to roll out similar training across the region in conflict settings.Participants thanked WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health for the opportunity to be trained on rehabilitation care in conflict settings, especially when their country is undergoing conflict and such skills are urgently needed.Both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development expressed their appreciation for the World Health Organization's efforts in conducting the inaugural joint workshop on rehabilitation in conflict. They emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration in this critical area, especially in light of the country's current crisis.The training included a simulation exercise on managing a surge of injured persons needing early acute rehabilitation at a hospital. The exercise required course participants to work as a team to respond to the event using their existing and newly acquired trauma rehabilitation skills in a realistic mock scenario. Following the training, participants and local stakeholders developed a roadmap and action plan to scale up essential rehabilitation services during the conflict.Hala Khudari, Deputy WHO Representative ai to Sudan, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting trauma care as part of its emergency health response in Sudan. “WHO has been providing supplies for trauma management and emergency surgery since the start of the conflict. We have also conducted trainings on mass casualty management,” she said. “Rehabilitation is an integral part of trauma care, and we are not only pleased to be conducting this inaugural training but also remain committed to collaborating with our partners to provide the necessary support for the implementation of rehabilitation care in Sudan.”

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Story

01 September 2024

UN deputy chief appeals for global solidarity as crises roil East Africa

Spotlighting crises roiling parts of eastern Africa, the UN deputy chief concluded a regional visit in Adré, Chad, on Friday, calling for global solidarity to tackle famine in Sudan, flooding and mass displacement while ensuring free-flowing aid for millions trapped in war zones and those fleeing for their lives. Chad hosts more than 1.1 million refugees, many escaping violence in Sudan, where rival militaries have been fighting since April 2023. At the same time, the war has also triggered colossal suffering within Sudan’s borders.“The humanitarian task that we have in Sudan has been very big,” UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said. “It has been one that we have been consistently supporting the government to try to address the crisis. The suffering of the people in this country is one of the worst crises in the world today.”Ms. Mohammed met officials in Chad and announced $5 million allocation from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) as part of a rapid response towards supporting flood recovery efforts, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters at UN Headquarters on Friday.Region in crisisChad and neighbouring Sudan have been grappling with multiple crises. That includes the ongoing Sudanese war and recent floods affecting 960,000 people in Chad and 310,000 in Sudan, according to UN agencies.Discussions between the UN deputy chief and local authorities in Chad centred on the complex challenges facing the country, including regional dynamics and key risks, and highlighted “the urgent need for global solidarity”, the UN Spokesperson said.Reaffirming the UN’s commitment, Ms. Mohammed called for “maximum solidarity and resources” to ensure the humanitarian response fulfills its mandate and supports the people of the region, urging parties “to invest more in saving lives and livelihoods”.‘Vital lifeline for aid delivery’While in Chad, Ms. Mohammed observed the humanitarian corridor operation at the newly opened Adré crossing point into Sudan and engaged with refugee representatives, women, youth and community leaders, welcoming the recent opening as “a positive step” towards providing lifesaving aid in Sudan.“This crossing is a vital lifeline for aid delivery to millions in Sudan and must remain open and accessible to facilitate large-scale humanitarian assistance while ensuring the safety of aid workers,” according to the UN Spokesperson.Shuttered for one year, this humanitarian corridor will allow UN agencies to scale up assistance to 14 areas facing famine in Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum and Al Jazirah.‘We need resources now’The UN deputy chief underlined the critical importance of keeping the border crossing permanently open.The Adré crossing is the most effective and shortest route to deliver humanitarian assistance into Sudan – and particularly the Darfur region – at the scale and speed required to respond to the immense hunger crisis.“What we have to do is to match the openings of these borders with the aid that goes in, and that means resources,” she insisted, “and so we need those resources, and we need them now.”The UN $2.7 billion appeal is only 41 per cent funded.Sudan: War, displacement and hungerAcross the border, in Sudan, food security experts recently declared that the war has pushed parts of North Darfur state into famine, particularly the Zamzam camp, where more than half a million displaced people are sheltering.About 25.6 million people – over half of the population of Sudan – face acute hunger, including more than 755,000 people on the brink of famine and an estimated 10.7 million people are now internally displaced, according to UN agenciesWhen visiting Sudan earlier this week, Ms. Mohammed met with the country’s President and cabinet members, who agreed that the Jeddah peace process must be implemented swiftly. She emphasised that “there is consensus there, and there is no reason why that cannot be moved forward.”However, the discussion largely focussed on the humanitarian agenda and “the urgency of this”, she told reporters at a press conference in Port Sudan on Thursday.She said efforts are addressing the Sudanese Government’s legitimate concerns and setting up procedures that “would ensure this aid gets to people where it’s meant.‘Crisis around famine’“We have impending crisis around famine,” Ms. Mohammed said. “We are not getting medical supplies in where there are health crises. But, more importantly, we have to remember the suffering of the people, and we are here to do this with the Government of Sudan.”Ms. Mohammed met with displaced persons, the UN team as well as with a number of government officials.“What we have done is to sit down with the humanitarian aid commission, and then we have had discussions on how, first of all, not to stop any of the aid that is available right now going in,” she explained.

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18 August 2024

‘We can still turn the tide against hunger and famine in Sudan’

Hundreds of truckloads of World Food Programme assistance are speeding this month to the hungriest parts of Sudan, as part of a massively scaled-up response after famine was confirmed at a camp for displaced people in the country’s Darfur region.Targeting an initial 3 million people this month, the WFP food-and-cash support aims to prevent more people from falling into catastrophic hunger, one of the most horrific fallouts of the conflict in Sudan. In war-torn Khartoum, we recently distributed food and nutrition assistance to a hungry population for the first time in months. WFP is also supporting community kitchens – neighborhood volunteer groups that have become a vital food lifeline for Sudanese countrywide, especially in the capital.“We can still turn the tide against hunger and famine in Sudan,” said WFP Sudan Emergency Coordinator Marco Calvacante. “We can still make it.”But reaching millions of desperate people demands unfettered humanitarian access, safe passage, and a massive influx of funds. Overall, WFP needs US$459 million for its emergency response to support up to 8.4 million hungry people in Sudan by the end of this year.“We need this conflict to end. We need unimpeded access to reach those most in need,” Calvacante said. “We need the attention of the world to focus on Sudan.”Famine confirmedIn late July, the global standard for measuring food insecurity – the Integrated Food Phase Classification or IPC – confirmed famine in Zamzam camp, which houses more than 400,000 displaced people outside the besieged North Darfur city of El Fasher. This was a first for Sudan, and it's only the third famine confirmation worldwide since the IPC was first implemented 20 years ago – 13 other areas in the country are at risk of famine in the coming months.“Our biggest challenge is the continuation of this conflict which hampers our movement as well as the safe delivery of humanitarian supplies,” said WFP Sudan Country Director Eddie Rowe. ”We call on the parties for an immediate cessation of hostilities.”Sudan's is now the world’s largest displacement crisis. Since it started 16 months ago, the war has triggered a hunger spiral engulfing tens of millions of people countrywide. The fighting has ravaged Sudanese food production, destroyed essential markets, and cut off communities large and small from vital assistance. Along with heavy fighting, the rainy season poses another major setback in delivering assistance, with flooded roads grounding dozens of WFP aid trucks.According to IPC figures for June, nearly 26 million Sudanese face acute food insecurity. Nearly 750,000 people countrywide face catastrophic food insecurity, the highest hunger level. Roughly 730,000 children are projected to experience potentially life-threatening severe acute malnutrition this year. In the Darfur region, WFP Security Officer Khalid Hamdnalla describes meeting scores of hungry, displaced people during a recent United Nations interagency mission to assess humanitarian needs. “We saw whole families, including children and elders, who don’t have enough food. Some have been displaced more than three times,” said Hamdnalla of those they met, some of whom are sheltering in abandoned schools and other government buildings. “Their main requests were for food, education, sanitation and health services.”“The host communities are hungry as well,” he adds, “because they’ve shared what they had with the displaced people.” The UN mission crossed many armed checkpoints, but heavy rains proved the biggest challenge, making some wadis, or seasonal rivers, impassable. “You cannot imagine the road conditions with the rains,” Hamdnalla says. “There are big wadis, and the current is very fast – it’s very dangerous.”Few safe optionsIn late July, WFP was able to reach Sudan’s capital Khartoum for the first time since March, allowing us to deliver two-month rations of sorghum, lentils, oil and salt to people. Many we reached are elderly or otherwise unable to flee the conflict’s frontlines. The fighting has reduced swathes of the city to rubble, including Khartoum’s iconic and all-important Omdurman market – delivering a blow to the country’s food supply and economy.Over 90,000 people in the greater Khartoum area are on the brink of famine; more than 1 million are experiencing emergency hunger levels. Yet people are trickling back to the capital – not because it is safer, but because there are few safe options after months on the run.“They starting coming back to their houses, but unfortunately they don’t have anything inside – they even don’t have a job because of the war,’ says Khalid Mohamed Elbaghir, a volunteer with one of Khartoum’s community kitchens. “So we started supplying them with food to make them stay more easily in this neighborhood.”WFP is supporting neighborhood kitchens like Elbaghir’s, which provide soup and other staples to city residents. The overall aim is to distribute up to 140,000 hot meals daily. For many elderly and other vulnerable people in the capital, it is their only meal of the day.“Often two or three days passed without us being able to go out and get food – sometimes we’d be trapped in our homes for a week,” says Maya, a former tea seller in Khartoum. “If we tried to leave, we would get beaten in the street and robbed of money and food.”Other Sudanese are seeking safety elsewhere in the country. Amna Yousif’s family fled their home in war-buffeted Sennar state, walking and hitching truck rides for eight days before reaching the relatively secure seaside city of Port Sudan. “We got up at 2 a.m. on a rainy night, carrying the children in our arms and walking through the night in the mud,” she recalled of their flight.Today, the family lives in a tent in an abandoned lot in Port Sudan.“When I left my house I left the okra flourishing and the molokhia (mallow) ready for harvest,” Yousif recalled of the local vegetables she grew – and of better times, when her family lived without hunger. “One of the good things about our village is that when you sow with your hand, you eat and drink.”WFP’s emergency response in Sudan is made possible through contributions from our donors including the African Development Bank, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, the European Commission (ECHO), France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, KS Relief, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malta, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the UN Central Emergency Relief Fund, and the United States of America.

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20 May 2024

Going the extra mile to stop poliovirus spread

By Proscovia Nakibuuka Mbonye, Sara Awad and WHO Eastern Mediterranean RegionIt’s day one of the polio vaccination campaign in Sudan’s Red Sea State, where poliovirus was detected in sewage samples earlier in 2024. At the crack of dawn, vaccinators set off with their vaccine carriers filled with ice packs and vials of oral polio vaccine and vitamin A to reach children in their communities. Their goal: vaccinate every child aged under 5 years in the state over the 4 days of the campaign.

Since the conflict in Sudan began, in April 2023, health infrastructure and immunization services have been disrupted. Hundreds of thousands of children have been left unvaccinated and at risk of infection from vaccine-preventable diseases such as polio. This situation is made worse by the displacement of large numbers of people.

When news of the positive poliovirus samples was reported, the Federal Ministry of Health sprang into action with the support of WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). After carrying out detailed investigations and risk assessments, a team of technical experts were deployed to identify various high-risk areas across Sudan requiring a response.

By the time the campaign was launched in Red Sea State, communities were well aware of its aims. Social mobilizers had seized every chance to visit and sensitize communities to polio vaccination. Messages played on the radio and from loudspeakers on vehicles echoed across villages, urging parents and caregivers to vaccinate all children aged under 5 years in the upcoming polio vaccination campaign. Health teams also worked with partners to reach children in displaced families. At the Agig Health Centre, Mahmoud, a health worker and vaccinator for 10 years, collects vaccines for the catchment area he is covering on day 3 of the campaign.

He plans to reach the mobile and hard-to-reach communities in Barqiq valley, in the mountains and along the border with Eritrea, where the nearest health facility is 40 km away. Until the start of May this year, these mobile communities will remain in the mountains. Come summer, they will travel to the countryside of Kassala State. "With these populations always on the move, there is a very real possibility that their children may miss out on vaccination activities,” says Mahmoud. “This means we have no time to waste in reaching these children."With the vaccines stored safely in cool boxes and vaccine carriers to maintain the optimum temperature, the team embarks on the journey from Agig to Barqiq valley. They first travel by car but switch to camels and donkeys for the last 2 hours, as the roads get rougher and narrower. Drop by drop, children are protectedWhen Mahmoud and his team arrive, parents and caregivers are patiently waiting in a makeshift straw-roofed shelter. They all share one thing in common – the desire to protect their children from preventable life-threatening diseases.

Fatima, mother to 4-year-old Mohammed, visited the health centre a few months ago. While her malnourished child received treatment, she was told about the upcoming polio campaign. She didn’t think twice about vaccinating her children, because she knows this is the best gift she can give them.

“Every time the vaccinators arrive, I take my children out to receive vaccines, and they are all doing well,” Fatima says.

Drop after drop, the team administers the oral polio vaccine to one child and then another, with the aim of protecting all the children in the shelter from polio. The disease can cause paralysis and even death if children are not vaccinated enough times.

By the end of the day, the team had covered 180 children, including 29 infants aged under 12 months and some zero-dose children, who had never previously received any vaccines. Impressed by the numbers reached, Mahmoud shares that the change in behaviour among this community didn’t just happen overnight. It is the result of years of regular health education efforts by health promoters, health workers and volunteers.

“We consistently engaged them through health education and awareness-raising sessions,” says Mahmoud, speaking of parents and caregivers. “We informed them that vaccination is a form of protection and provided examples of children from the community who did not receive vaccinations and how they suffered from diseases. As a result, they have become more accepting of vaccination.”

This was also coupled with the engagement of community leaders, like the local mayor of Barqiq valley, who have since become advocates for child health, including vaccination drives.

“These are our people and children, so we make every effort to include them in the health campaigns and routine immunizations,” says Mahmoud, a front-line hero for immunization efforts.

In total, the 4-day Red Sea State campaign provided polio vaccine and vitamin A to more than 200 000 children aged under 5 years. Similar campaigns in 8 other high-risk states of Sudan will begin in late May 2024 to ensure that all vulnerable, accessible children are protected, no matter where they are. Background to GPEI efforts in SudanAmid the war in Sudan, Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners such as UNICEF and WHO have supported the country to prevent the further spread of its polio outbreak.

UNICEF is procuring and delivering vaccines and leading social mobilization activities at the community level to increase uptake of vaccination services. It is also orienting key campaign stakeholders, such as social mobilizers, religious and community leaders and the media, on their roles.

WHO has been technically supporting the development of microplans, the capacity-building of vaccinators, and intra- and post-campaign monitoring for vaccination campaigns. This is part of WHO’s ongoing efforts to support surveillance of poliovirus and the technical response to prevent its spread and boost children’s immunity, including through the rollout of polio vaccination campaigns.

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10 June 2024

Empowering Sudan’s communities to fight malaria

Sudan stands out for its unique social fabric and complex malaria landscape. Despite the conflict that has raged for more than a year, as well as many political and economic challenges, Sudan continues to try to respond to malaria. Community engagement initiatives have proved crucial to this effort.Gedaref state hosts close to 500 000 internally displaced people and bustles with volunteers and civil society organizations. Here, efforts by community members have been vital in navigating the chronic malaria burden and curbing other epidemics that have ensued since the conflict began in April 2023.For nearly 2 decades, Abdalla Adam, a teacher and farmer from Om Bileil, a malaria-stricken village in Gedaref, has been at the forefront of community efforts to alleviate malaria. “Gedaref is synonymous with malaria,” said Abdalla. “We see other diseases too: kala-azar, polio, cholera and, more recently, dengue and chikungunya. But these come and go, while malaria has been here for as long as I can remember.”He explained how community service is a strong part of his Sudanese upbringing, culture and identity: “My early days with community service were largely a spontaneous extension of my upbringing. I come from a small village and nafeer* is customary for us. We would gather to clean the neighbourhood and spray ponds with insecticides.”Abdalla shared how the scope of efforts in Om Bileil grew considerably through community awareness raising. Ms Wejdan Abdulbagi, Manager of the Malaria Control Programme in Gedaref, educated the community about vector control and the free malaria services at primary health care centres. People had previously seen cost as a major barrier to seeking health care for malaria.During vector control campaigns, each member of Abdalla’s neighbourhood is responsible for spraying the homes of their extended family. “We also conduct regular health promotion campaigns to spread life-saving messages, like ‘If you have fever, don’t just sleep on it. Go see a doctor, it’s free!’ I think we’re doing well but a lot more can be achieved with sufficient training.”Ms Abdulbagi said that malaria indicators have improved with community engagement initiatives: “It has become standard practice for us to involve the local community given the significant burden of malaria and the limited resources to battle it.“Last year, the ministry was running its therapeutic efficacy study and Gedaref’s Al-Salam Hospital was selected as a sentinel site. We were already seeing considerable improvement in the care-seeking behaviour thanks to [the volunteers’] efforts, but I wanted to ensure we finish within the designated time frame, so I reached out to Abdalla. A health promotion campaign was swiftly commenced, and data collection concluded in a timely manner”.Gedaref’s example reflects a broader shift taking place across Sudan, whereby communities are increasingly seen as pivotal in improving their own well-being. The Federal Ministry of Health is moving to institutionalize grassroots health initiatives by adopting a community health strategy. Community members are thus set to play an integral role in both the prevention and case management aspects of malaria control in Sudan.

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08 March 2024

A Celebration of Women Who Stayed to Serve-Sudan

Women continue to play a critical role in the recovery and reconstruction of Sudan despite being the largest population disproportionately affected by the protracted conflict. To date, the conflict has displaced and impacted 8.1 million people out of which 69% are women, which amounts to 12.4% of the total population of Sudan. Though a grave situation in the country, the women’s resilience has not been waived. One inspiring success story of a woman working in a conflict-affected area is about Nada Bashir, a project manager for UNOPS in Sudan. Nada’s journey is a testament to the resilience, courage, and commitment of women. Nada Graduated from Khartoum University with an Architectural Engineer and has more than 21 years of experience in the field of project management, 9 of which were in UAE where she became the first female to be allowed to work inside the National Drilling Company site. She is passionate about project management and was the first Sudanese Project Management Professional holder since 2005 (Colorado - USA).In 2021, Nada decided to go back to Sudan as she became increasingly aware of the challenges faced by women and children in her country. At that time she hadn't even secured any job - but her decision was based on her passion and interest in serving the people of Sudan. After the war broke out in 2023, despite the danger and the challenge, she kept working and was determined to make a difference in her community. “I knew my people were in need more than ever, so I decided to continue working as long as the situation allows me,” Nada says. With a unique combination of technical competencies and managerial abilities acquired during demanding roles in complex multi-million construction projects, Nada is currently focused on health infrastructure. To address the inadequate health infrastructure in Kassala, UNOPS Sudan and the Italian Government have been working together to implement a $10.5 million project. In 2023, UNOPS rehabilitated the diagnostic centre, renovated the blood bank, and constructed the Saudi Maternity Hospital’s new technical building as well as its public facilities blocks. With a population of around 2.8 million, Kassala town serves as the capital of Kassala State in Eastern Sudan. As a result of civil unrest, Kassala state is currently receiving an increasing number of IDPs which is growing daily. “When the war erupted, I had two open sites with unfinished works. Mobilizing the contractors to complete the work was not an easy task. In addition to the psychological pressures, we didn't have an internet connection, telephone lines were cut off, and much more… Against all odds, we managed to complete and hand over the first phase of the project. These health facilities are the main and only facilities of its nature which are currently serving not only Kassala residents but more than 175,000 IDPs. Now when I see the smiles of the facilities managers and the satisfaction of the beneficiaries while using those completed buildings, I couldn't be happier!” Nada proudly says. She continues explaining: “You know that out of the 2.8 million beneficiaries, 24.8% are women, 15% are children below five years old, and 4.9% are people living with disabilities - I believe I have not only contributed to the success of the project but also saved the lives of countless women and children. The project has contributed to the broader goal of rebuilding a more resilient and inclusive society in Kasalah, Sudan.” “I say to all the women out there working in a challenging environment, believe in what you are doing, and no matter how difficult it is, it is not impossible,” Nada concludes. Going forward, UNOPS will complete the General Surgery Unit, operation theaters and construction of the two main roads of the Kassala Health Citadel with external pavement and rehabilitation of the external areas between the blood bank and the diagnostic centre.

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Press Release

05 November 2024

Sudan rolls out first malaria vaccines

The launch follows the arrival of the first consignment of 186,000 doses of the malaria vaccines to Sudan in October. The vaccinations will begin today in health facilities in 15 localities in the Gedaref and the Blue Nile states, benefitting more than 148,000 children under the age of 12 months. In 2025 and 2026, the vaccine will be introduced in 129 localities across Sudan.“Today marks a significant milestone as we introduce the malaria vaccine in Sudan. This initiative reflects our strong and unwavering commitment to malaria control and our collective determination to protect the lives of our children. By focusing on reducing malaria mortality in children under five, we are taking a critical step toward securing a healthier, brighter future for the next generation. This vaccine introduction not only reinforces our dedication to combating malaria but also brings us closer to a future where no child is lost to this preventable disease. Together, we are paving the way for a malaria-free Sudan,” said Dr Heitham Mohamed Ibrahim Awadallah, Sudan’s Federal Minister of Health.Malaria is one of the world’s deadliest diseases, killing nearly half a million children under the age of 5 each year in Africa. Sudan has the highest malaria incidence rates in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. In 2023, more than 3.4 million malaria cases were estimated in Sudan, and the disease claimed an estimated 7,900 lives, though cases and deaths are likely to be severely underreported due to the ongoing conflict and communication breakdown.Sudan is among the first 16 African countries, and the first in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, to introduce the malaria vaccine, a remarkable accomplishment in a country grappling with an ongoing conflict. Recommended for children aged five to 12 months, the vaccine is expected to reduce child hospital admission and mortality from the disease.“The opportunity offered by the introduction of the vaccine into the national immunization programme is enormous,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Sudan. "This vaccine is a critical new tool in our child mortality fighting toolkit.”In Sudan, the delivery of vaccines and routine immunization activities have been hindered by insecurity and the collapse of national health systems. National vaccination coverage has plummeted from 85 per cent before the war to approximately 50 per cent. In active conflict zones immunization rates are averaging 30 per cent, a critically low rate of coverage. Low immunization coverage and frequent disease outbreaks, such as cholera, malaria, measles, and polio, are exposing millions of unvaccinated children to fatal yet preventable diseases.“Despite enormous challenges, Sudan has taken an important step today to fight the scourge of malaria and protect the population from severe illness and death,” said Dr Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative to Sudan. “WHO continues to advocate for a comprehensive approach to malaria intervention, integrating the malaria vaccine with other prevention and control measures.”The Federal Ministry of Health - supported by its partners: UNICEF, WHO, and EMPHENET - developed malaria vaccine implementation plans and communication strategies, trained health workers and engaged communities, and ensured sufficient cold chain capacity. It also continues to highlight the importance of implementing all malaria control strategies and mix of interventions.“Today’s malaria vaccine introduction is a significant milestone, especially in the context of the ongoing conflict that has disrupted health services across Sudan. This achievement is a testament to the resilience and determination of the Federal Ministry of Health and partners, who have worked to ensure access to the vital tool against malaria. The introduction of the malaria vaccine not only represents a critical step forward in protecting the lives of countless children but also symbolizes hope for a healthier future amidst adversity. Gavi will continue working with partners in support of health outcomes of the children of Sudan," said Anne Cronin, Senior Country Manager for Sudan at Gavi.”***
Notes to editors:More than 70 per cent of hospitals in conflict-affected areas are non-operational. They have been damaged or destroyed during the conflict, lack supplies or are being used as shelters by displaced families or for other purposes. Frontline workers, including nurses, doctors and other essential staff, have not been paid in months. The delivery of vaccine supplies and routine immunization activities have been hindered by security concerns and lack of access.In Sudan, an estimated 3.4 million children under the age of 5 are at high risk of epidemic diseases, including measles, malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoeal diseases and cholera.Malaria and malaria vaccine:According to the World malaria report 2023, Sudan bore an estimated burden of more than 41 per cent of the malaria cases and 49 per cent of malaria deaths in the WHO East Mediterranean Region, averaging 10,000 cases and 21 associated deaths every day.WHO recommends the use of malaria vaccines for the prevention of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) malaria in children living in malaria-endemic areas, prioritizing areas with moderate to high transmission.P. falciparum is the deadliest malaria parasite.In Sudan, 89 per cent of reported malaria cases are due to P. falciparum and 11to P. vivax.The vaccine provides added protection against malaria. Children should receive 4 doses to get the best protection.Vaccinated children should continue using insecticide-treated nets at night and take other prevention measures.Children aged 5 to 18 months will be vaccinated according to four-dose schedules to get the best protection against P. falciparum malaria.In the roll-out of the malaria vaccine in Sudan, infants between 5 and 12 months are eligible for the first dose of the vaccine.For more information, please contact:Ismail Elshaik, EPI Manager, Federal Ministry of Health, ismailsoba@gmail.com, +249122697343.Eva Hinds, Chief of Communication, UNICEF Sudan, ehinds@unicef.org, +249123168594.Loza Mesfin Tesfaye, Communications Officer, WHO Sudan, tesfayel@who.int, +251911144194 (WhatsApp), +249913467512 (direct).

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Press Release

31 October 2024

Displacement in Sudan Crosses 11 Million as Devastating Crisis Reaches New Heights: IOM Chief 

Port Sudan – Good morning, I am glad to be able to speak with you this morning live from Port Sudan. I arrived here yesterday on a four-day visit, into a deteriorating security situation with alarming reports of new atrocities. I have heard distressing detail from our teams on the ground of the conditions faced by ordinary Sudanese people whose lives have been thrown into turmoil by this conflict. The situation here in Sudan is catastrophic. There is simply no other way to put it. Hunger, disease and sexual violence are rampant. For the people of Sudan, this is a living nightmare. This is an underreported conflict situation, and we must pay it more attention. Millions are suffering, and there is now the serious possibility of the conflict igniting regional instability from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa to the Red Sea. Yesterday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres shone the spotlight on this suffering, calling it an ‘utter humanitarian catastrophe’. Eighteen months have passed since fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Outside forces are now ‘fueling the fire’ which is intensifying the conflict. The suffering is growing by the day, with the Secretary-General reporting yesterday that almost 25 million people are now requiring assistance. In recent days, we have heard utterly shocking reports of mass killings and sexual violence in villages in Al Jazirah State in the east of the country. Throughout this year, Sudan has been world’s largest displacement crisis. Today I can share that we will release new figures this week showing the displacement number has hit 11 million. That’s up 200,000 just since September. Another 3.1 million people have traveled across borders to flee the fighting. In total, nearly 30 per cent of Sudan's population has been displaced. More than half of those displaced are women, and more than a quarter of them are children under the age of five. Think about that for a moment, that is a huge number of extremely vulnerable women and children on the move. Many have been forced to flee repeatedly, with little to no access to shelter, much less to their livelihoods and the ability to get basic necessities.  The scale of this displacement – and the corresponding humanitarian needs – grows every day. Half the country’s population needs help. They don’t have access to shelter, to clean drinking water, to health care. Disease is spreading fast. One in every two Sudanese is struggling to get even the minimal amount of food to survive. Famine conditions have taken hold in North Darfur, and millions struggle to feed themselves every day. I saw some of that suffering yesterday, in a visit to the Arbaat dam area about 40 kilometers from Port Sudan. After heavy rains in August, a spillway collapsed. The resulting flood killed at least 148 people and devastated homes, livestock, and infrastructure. This devastation would be bad enough if it weren’t coming on top of a conflict that continues to rage and is becoming worse by the day – and one that has dramatically impacted the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The safety of aid workers is often threatened. Access restrictions and bureaucratic impediments continue to be imposed. People are dying because of this. The parties to this conflict must do what they have pledged to do – and what international humanitarian law requires – protect civilians, and ensure safe, swift and unimpeded access to life-saving assistance.   What we also need, most desperately, is the help of the international community. Sudan is easily the most neglected crisis in the world today. The collective failure to act means the devastation risks spilling over into neighboring countries. At a conference in Paris this past April, the international community made generous pledges. But that appeal is only 52 per cent funded. And though IOM has been able to help nearly 3 million people since the war started, our part of the response plan is only 20 per cent funded. With the proper amount of funding, there is much we can do to alleviate the suffering, to help people get shelter and proper sanitation, to feed them and protect them. But our progress will always be limited as long as war continues to be waged. All wars are brutal, but the toll of this one is particularly horrifying, and the recent killings and appalling human rights violations in Aj Jazirah state were yet another example. Since last year, reports of rape, torture and ethnically motivated violence have been far too common. Indiscriminate attacks are killing civilians, including young children.   Some of the areas of most severe need remain cut off entirely, with no access to humanitarian aid. The potential long-term impact of this catastrophic crisis is simply staggering. Education will be set back decades. The health and well-being of children will be stunted. Livelihoods will be permanently ruined. A generation will live in the shadow of trauma. And the immense tragedy about it all is that a peaceful Sudan has the capacity to take care of itself. Its people are resilient, and their natural resources are immense. So while I’m here today to raise awareness of the needs and to highlight the cost of this displacement crisis, what IOM really wants – what every person in the world should want – is for the guns in Sudan to fall silent. The humanitarian response must be scaled up, and we call on the donor community to support this effort. I echo the Secretary General in calling for: An end to hostilities; Protection for civilians; and access for humanitarian agencies so that aid can flow. We will not allow Sudan to be forgotten. But its people need peace, now. ***For more information please contact: In Port Sudan: Lisa George, lgeorge@iom.int      
In Cairo: Joe Lowry, jlowry@iom.int 
In Geneva: Kennedy Okoth, kokoth@iom.int 

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Press Release

31 October 2024

At least ten children reportedly killed in escalating violence in Sudan’s Al Jazirah State

NEW YORK, 28 October 2024 – "I am deeply alarmed by the spiralling violence against children and families in Sudan’s Al Jazirah State. Reports of mass killings, widespread sexual violence against women and girls, and the destruction of homes and livelihoods are appalling.“In just the past week, at least 124 people were reportedly killed in Al Jazirah – including at least ten children, some as young as ten years old – while at least 43 children were injured.

“We have also received devastating reports that multiple girls, as young as 13, have been subjected to rape and sexual assault and that children have been detained. More than 9,000 households, including over 45,000 people, were forced from their homes in Tamboul and its surrounding villages between 20 and 27 October 2024.

“This violence is part of a vast man-made humanitarian catastrophe which has already killed and injured thousands of children, displaced more than 11 million people and left millions more in extreme peril. Sudan is now home to the world’s largest displacement and humanitarian crisis – a crisis that is increasingly impacting the broader region.

“UNICEF calls for an immediate end to the violence. Parties to the conflict must cease the deliberate targeting of civilians and grave violations against children. They must also immediately release children who have been detained.

“We also call on the parties to uphold international humanitarian law, to protect civilians and civilian objects, and to allow safe, unhindered access for humanitarian aid workers. Right now, administrative barriers imposed by parties to the conflict, as well as security conditions, are compromising delivery of the life-saving assistance these children and families so desperately need.

“The world cannot stand by while Sudan’s children face unspeakable horrors. We must act now to safeguard their future and uphold their right to safety and peace."#####Media contactsJoe EnglishUNICEF New YorkTel: +1 917 893 0692Email: jenglish@unicef.orgEva HindsUNICEF SudanTel: +249 123 168 594Email: ehinds@unicef.orgAmmar AmmarUNICEF AmmanTel: +962 791 837 388Email: aammar@unicef.org

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Press Release

27 October 2024

Statement by the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami

(Port Sudan, 26 October 2024) The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Ms. Clementine Nkweta-Salami, is deeply troubled by reports of escalating armed violence in Aj Jazirah State, which has reportedly claimed the lives of scores of civilians.

Preliminary reports between 20 and 25 October indicate that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a major attack across eastern Aj Jazirah. RSF fighters reportedly shot at civilians indiscriminately, perpetrated acts of sexual violence against women and girls, committed widespread looting of markets and homes and burned down farms. Residents from several villages, including Safita Ghanoubab, Al- Hilaliya, and Al-Aziba, were reportedly subjected to physical assaults, humiliation, and threats resulting in scores of civilians fleeing their homes for safety. Those who remain face severe threats.

“I am shocked and deeply appalled that human rights violations of the kind witnessed in Darfur last year – such as rape, targeted attacks, sexual violence, and mass killings – are being repeated in Aj Jazirah State. These are atrocious crimes,” said Nkweta-Salami. “Women, children, and the most vulnerable are bearing the brunt of a conflict that has already taken far too many lives.”

The numbers of civilian casualties from these attacks are yet to be established. Thousands of families have fled their homes to several areas within Aj Jazirah State, while others have been displaced to Gedaref and Kassala states. Humanitarian partners are gathering more information on the situation, alongside mobilizing to assist the hundreds of people displaced by the escalation of hostilities.

“Attacking civilians, civilian objects, and public infrastructure is prohibited by International Humanitarian Law. It is unacceptable and must stop immediately. Civilians must be protected wherever they are,” said Nkweta-Salami.
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For more information, please contact: Tapiwa Gomo, gomo@un.org

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