Scores of people have been killed or injured since the power struggle between the army and the RSF militia escalated on April 15.
(Photo: Reuters)
Geneva, Khartoum According to the United Nations (UN), more than 800,000 people are likely to flee to neighboring countries if the fighting in Sudan continues. “Without a speedy solution to this crisis, we will see more people forced to flee in search of safety and basic support,” UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Raouf Mazou said in Geneva on Monday.
The United Nations (UN) Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Sudan, Abdou Dieng, said the humanitarian crisis could escalate into a “total disaster”. UN emergency aid coordinator Martin Griffiths, who is expected in Sudan on Tuesday, spoke of an already “catastrophic” situation.
“In consultations with all governments and partners concerned, we came up with a planning number of 815,000 people who could flee to the seven neighboring countries,” said Mazou. In addition to 580,000 Sudanese, these include more than 200,000 people who are already in Sudan as refugees.
So far, 73,000 people have fled to neighboring countries. The northeast African country borders Egypt, Libya, Chad, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Scores of people have been killed or injured since the power struggle between the army and the RSF militia escalated on April 15. Internationally, fears are growing that Sudan could slide into civil war and destabilize the entire region. Even after an agreed extension of the ceasefire, further fighting broke out on Monday.
More: The federal government is spending 27 billion euros on the refugee crisis this year