Fighting between the Sudanese army and Rapid Support Forces has forced up to 300,000 people to flee their homes in the Gezira state, which had been a haven for families displaced by the devastating conflict in Northeast Africa, according to the United Nations on Thursday.
The conflict erupted in the city of Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira state, after the Rapid Support Forces attacked the city earlier this month.
The Rapid Support Forces claimed they had taken control of Wad Madani earlier this week, while the army stated that its forces had withdrawn from the city and an investigation had been opened.
The International Organization for Migration, a UN agency, reported that between 250,000 to 300,000 people had fled the state – many on foot – to safer areas in the states of Gedaref, Sennar, and White Nile.
Some of the displaced have taken refuge in camps, while many others have sought shelter within local communities.
Approximately 6 million Sudanese live in Gezira state, known as the breadbasket of Sudan. Since the outbreak of the war, about 500,000 displaced people have fled to the state, most of them from the capital Khartoum, which was a center of the fighting, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The office also stated that Wad Madani, located about 100 kilometers southeast of Khartoum, had hosted more than 86,000 displaced people.
The World Food Programme announced on Wednesday a temporary halt to food assistance in parts of Gezira, describing it as a “major setback” for humanitarian efforts in the state.
The UN food agency said it had provided assistance to 800,000 people in the state, including many families who fled fighting in Khartoum.
The conflict in Sudan has devastated the country and led to the deaths of up to 9,000 people as of October, according to the UN. However, activists and medical organizations say the actual number is much higher.
More than 7 million people have been forced to leave their homes, including over 1.5 million who have sought refuge in neighboring countries, as per UN figures.
The fighting in Wad Madani has forced many relief organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to evacuate their staff from the city, which had been a center for humanitarian operations in the country.
