Over 10 million people could soon be internally displaced in Sudan due to conflict, marking the world’s largest displacement crisis, said the United Nations migration agency on Friday.
The conflict began in April 2023 in the capital, Khartoum, and quickly spread throughout Sudan. This has reignited ethnic violence, particularly in the western Darfur region, forcing millions of people to leave their homes.
Sudan Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Mohamed Refaat, said, “How much suffering and loss of life must the people of Sudan endure before the world takes notice? Isn’t 10 million internally displaced enough to compel urgent global action?
“Every one of those 10 million displaced life represents a profound human tragedy that demands urgent attention,” he added.
The IOM reported that 9.9 million people have been displaced within Sudan this week.
Prior to the conflict, the IOM had already recorded 2.8 million internally displaced persons. In total, around 12 million people have been forced to leave their homes, with over 2 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries such as Egypt and Chad.
Refaat mentioned that more than half of the displaced individuals within Sudan are women, and a quarter are children under the age of five.
He added that aid organisations are struggling to meet the increasing demands.
He stated, “Funding shortfalls are impeding efforts to provide adequate shelter, food and medical assistance.
Serious concerns are mounting about the long-term impact of displacement on Sudan’s social and economic fabric.”
UN agencies have cautioned that Sudan is facing an “imminent risk of famine,” with approximately 18 million people experiencing severe hunger. Among these, 3.6 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition.
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