Fighting in Sudan: What you need to know about the crisis

Article Link:

Fighting in Sudan: What you need to know about the crisis | International Rescue Committee (IRC)

On Saturday April 15, fighting broke out in Khartoum, Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The war has displaced more than 4 million people, including 880,000 who have been forced to flee across international borders.

Violent clashes have impacted civilians, leading to the deaths of 18 humanitarian aid workers and 12 health care personnel. Bullets penetrated the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) office in Khartoum.

Meanwhile, rates of extreme levels of food insecurity affect 42 percent of Sudan’s population at a time when the country’s health sector is at risk of collapsing due to an acute shortage of medical supplies, water and fuel.

Despite a long awaited peace agreement between the SAF and RSF, sporadic fighting continues. Continued violence is continuing to put millions at risk and a permanent peace agreement is needed to ensure those in need can be reached.

The IRC has suspended many of our operations in the country but continues to serve vulnerable communities in Blue Nile and Gederaf state, where we provide life saving services to refugees in the Tunaydbah camp. We have also scaled up our support to refugees fleeing over the border into neighboring countries. 

Additionally, we’ve established a satellite office in Wad Madani to provide primary health care and protection services to the over 50,000 internally displaced people who have fled there.

The IRC has also scaled up our support to refugees fleeing over the border into neighboring countries.

Over 300,000 people have arrived over the border into Chad — almost 90% of which are women and children. The upcoming rainy season is likely to exacerbate conditions even further. 

Relief organizations, including the IRC, are providing support with health, nutrition, sanitation and protection needs.

“Chad has been generously welcoming in Sudanese refugees, but Chad itself is a low-income, crisis-affected country,” explains IRC president and CEO David Miliband. “Chad will struggle to maintain this generosity unless they receive immediate and significant economic support.”

What do the people of Sudan face today?

Prior to the outbreak of conflict, Sudan was already facing a humanitarian crisis due to extreme weather shocks, social and political unrest, and rising food prices that continue to drive poverty, hunger and displacement.

Political tensions and instability

Since a military coup in October 2021, Sudan has been run by a council of generals. In July 2022, given heightened public distrust of the military, the de-facto Sudanese head of state announced that he would withdraw from political talks and support the formation of a technocratic cabinet. But the current violence was sparked by a disagreement over the integration of the RSF into the military as part of this transition toward civilian rule. 

Current violence has greatly exacerbated Sudan’s humanitarian crisis while reducing the ability of humanitarian organizations to deliver life-saving aid.

“The killing of humanitarian workers and scores of Sudanese is unacceptable,” Tjossem said. “The IRC calls upon all sides to work without delay to address outstanding issues with a view to achieving a lasting, inclusive political peace.”

Ongoing intercommunal violence

Continued conflict has caused further displacement and insecurity in border regions of Sudan. Limited state authority and unresolved local disputes over scarce land and natural resources in Darfur, Kordofan and Kassala drove increased fighting and displacement throughout 2022. 

The rise in violence in the Blue Nile state has displaced 97,000 people since July 2022, while a similar situation displaced 21,000 people in West Kordofan in October.

“Compounding the situation is the intensification of interethnic conflicts in Sudan, which has raised concerns about the possibility of further waves of refugees,” says IRC Emergency Country Director Mwiti Mungania. “This crisis is worse than the last major one experienced 20 years ago in Sudan, underscoring the need for immediate aid and support.”