Over 136,000 displaced by raging battles in southeast Sudan: UN
2 Min Read
The mass displacement is part of the latest wave caused by Sudan's nearly 15-month-long conflict.
-
South Sudanese who fled from Sudan sit outside a nutrition clinic at a transit Center in Renk, South Sudan, on May 16, 2023. (AP)
The United Nations reported, on Wednesday, that over 136,000 individuals have fled Sudan's southeastern Sennar state following a series of attacks on towns by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The mass displacement is part of the latest wave caused by Sudan's nearly 15-month-long conflict. These new refugees add to the almost 10 million people already displaced since the war began between the RSF and the regular army. The clashes have led to accusations of "ethnic cleansing" and warnings of famine, particularly in areas controlled by the RSF.
Dive deeper
On June 24, the RSF launched an offensive to seize the trading hub of Sennar. However, the focus quickly shifted to the smaller towns of Sinjah and al-Dinder, causing mass displacement of civilians from all three areas to the neighboring states of al-Gedaref and Blue Nile.
Social media images depicted people of all ages wading through the Blue Nile River. Activists in both al-Gedaref and Blue Nile reported a severe lack of shelter and food aid for the displaced. In Gedaref, heavy rains compounded the difficulties for those stranded in the state's capital market, left without tents or blankets after the government emptied schools that had been used as displacement centers, according to the local resistance committee.
The UN's International Organization for Migration reported that an estimated 136,130 people have been displaced in Sennar since June 24. Sennar was already hosting over 285,000 people displaced from Khartoum and al-Gezira states, indicating that many of those fleeing in the past two weeks may have been displaced multiple times. Additionally, the organization noted that villages in Gedaref state, another potential target of the RSF campaign, have also experienced a significant exodus.
In the western part of the country, local activists reported that at least 12 people were killed by artillery fire on a livestock market in the city of al-Fashir on Wednesday. The city has been embroiled in a prolonged battle for control, leading to a significant exodus towards nearby towns and displacement camps.
Read more: Sudan: A borderless conflict
