Sudan Humanitarian Update (24 June 2024) [EN/AR]
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HIGHLIGHTS
• Sudan continues to spiral into chaos, with the humanitarian crisis worsening and the horrific toll of the conflict having on civilians in Al Fasher and other conflict hotspots.
• Over the past three months, up to 143,000 people may have been displaced from Al Fasher locality in North Darfur State due to clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the area.
• Sudan has the largest internally displaced population in the world, with over 11 million people – or one in every five people in the country - including those displaced since mid-April 2023.
• An estimated 7.3 million people have been internally displaced since mid-April 2023, including those who experienced secondary displacement.
• Between 1 January and 30 April 2024, 125 humanitarian partners provided more than 5.2 million people across the country with multi-cluster humanitarian assistance.
• There has been a marked improvement in terms of entry visas for humanitarians, but their capability to deliver humanitarian assistance in Kordofan, Darfur and Khartoum has been affected by bureaucratic and administrative impediments.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
Sudan continues to spiral into chaos, with the humanitarian crisis worsening and the horrific toll of the conflict having on civilians in Al Fasher and other conflict hotspots across the country, Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said on 18 June in her briefing to the UN Security Council on behalf of Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths. Fourteen months of conflict have created a nightmare for civilians in Sudan – with the people of Al Fasher at the epicentre today, as just mentioned by ASG [Martha] Pobee. The lives of 800,000 people – of women, children, men, the elderly and people with disabilities – are hanging in the balance as bombing and shelling continue in densely populated areas, causing widespread and long-term harm to civilians and severely disrupting the essential services they very much depend on. Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in various locations in Al Fasher locality, North Darfur State has escalated since 1 April 2024 and by 31 May 2024, close to 130,000 people (about 26,000 households) were displaced due to the clashes, the International Organization for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix (IOM DTM) Sudan has reported. In addition, between 1 and 23 June 2024, at least an additional 12,900 people were displaced from Al Fasher locality due to the ongoing clashes between the SAF and RSF, according to the IOM DTM updates. This brings the estimated total number of people displaced from Al Fasher locality over the past almost three months to close to 143,000 people, however, it is yet to be confirmed and verified.
During May 2024, DTM reported nine incidents of clashes across northern, eastern, and south-eastern neighbourhoods of Al Fasher town, which reportedly displaced 89,210 persons (17,842 households). There were also several reports of deaths and injuries among civilians. In addition, field teams indicated that an estimated 400 individuals (80 households) fled from Bruboja and Shata villages of Al Fasher locality on 16 May 2024, reportedly due to increased security concerns related to the clashes in Al Fasher Town. Affected households were displaced to other locations within Al Fasher locality. During April 2024, DTM field teams reported four incidents of conflict across Al Fasher locality that displaced an estimated 40,600 people (8,123 families). Of these displaced people, an estimated 38,200 people (7,633 families) were displaced due to intercommunal conflicts that took place across eight villages between 2 and 13 April 2024.
The clashes in Al Fasher town primarily triggered displacement from northern, eastern, and south-eastern neighbourhoods to other areas of Al Fasher locality. About 13,900 people (2,778 families) were reportedly displaced to a number of locations in Dar As Salam locality, North Darfur between 17 and 31 May 2024. Other affected households were reportedly displaced to Kelemando, Tawila, Kebkabiya, Al Lait, Saraf Omra, Um Kadadah, and Melit localities (North Darfur); Wasat Jabal Marrah and Shamal Jabal Marrah localities (Central Darfur); and Shia'ria and Ad Du'ayn localities (East Darfur). On 13 June, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for the RSF to halt their siege on Al Fasher and expressing deep concern over the outbreak of fighting in the city, and the risk of further escalation. The resolution further demanded that the rival militaries ensure the protection of civilians, which includes allowing people to move within and out of Al Fasher if they want to. The warring sides were also requested to “allow and facilitate the rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, including by removing bureaucratic and other impediments”. The resolution also requested that the UN Secretary-General make further recommendations for the protection of civilians in Sudan, and encouraged coordinated engagement by his Personal Envoy for the country, Ramtane Lamamra; the African Union, the League of Arab States and other regional actors, aimed at advancing peace.
On 22 June, nine days after the UN Security Council resolution, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) – one of the few international NGOs in Al Fasher – warned that hospitals continue to be attacked, and that no outside help can reach the city due to the intensity of the violence. On the night of Friday 21 June, RSF shelling hit the pharmacy of the MSF-supported Saudi hospital in Al Fasher. A pharmacist was killed while on her shift, and the pharmacy building was damaged. Although the hospital remains open and is still treating patients today, it has been damaged and is only partially functional. More supplies are urgently needed to continue to treat the wounded, and a further attack is feared due to the continued fighting close by. Over the past six weeks, more than 260 people have been killed and over 1,630 wounded in Al Fasher (including women and children), according to Michel-Olivier Lacharité, head of MSF’s emergency operations. The protection of civilians is an imperative that must be respected, they are trapped and cannot leave, their lives must be protected and they must be able to receive treatment if they need it, Lacharite said.