The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has expressed profound concern over the “shocking levels of violence and devastating humanitarian risks” currently faced in Sudan. According to Olga Sarado Moor, a spokesperson for UNHCR, humanitarian workers are unable to access many areas of the country due to ongoing conflicts.
Speaking at a press conference in Geneva this Friday, Moor renewed calls for a cessation of hostilities and the protection of civilians, along with the provision of safe access for humanitarian aid. Since the conflict erupted in April last year, approximately 6.7 million people have been internally displaced within Sudan, with thousands fleeing the country daily to seek safety in neighboring nations like Chad, Egypt, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic.
Moor informed journalists that a team from the UNHCR, for the first time since the conflict began, managed to reach Omdurman in Khartoum State. She described the extensive destruction witnessed by the agency’s staff and the substantial needs and suffering among the residents, who have been inaccessible to humanitarian workers for months.
Families displaced from Sudan and refugees reported struggles to obtain sufficient food due to soaring prices, lacking adequate shelter and medical care. Moor highlighted the serious safety concerns raised by these individuals, including increasing sexual violence and a lack of legal support, with many suffering from severe trauma.
The spokesperson also touched on escalating hostilities in the city of Al-Fashir in Darfur, where movement restrictions are preventing people from fleeing to safer areas. According to reports, dozens of villages have been targeted and razed, resulting in the death of innocents and destruction of public properties and crops. The situation of unaccompanied and missing children, as well as the rise in sexual violence, is alarmingly increasing.
Despite the grim situation, Moor pointed out that humanitarian workers lack sufficient support to meet the needs both within and outside the country. The humanitarian response plan for Sudan has received only 10% of the required funding, while the regional refugee response plan is funded at just 8%.
