The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Sudan displacement doubles in one week, says IOM
The number of internally displaced persons in Sudan has more than doubled in the last week, with more than 700,000 people internally displaced since armed clashes erupted between the Sudanese Army Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in multiple cities across Sudan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press briefing at the United Nations in Geneva, IOM’s spokesperson Paul Dillon said that “the number of people internally displaced in Sudan has more than doubled in the last week, according to data that has been collected by the International Organization for Migration’s Displacement Tracking Matrix”.
Mr. Dillon added that more than 700,000 people were now internally displaced by the fighting, which began on 15 April.
The number of internally displaced persons increased in many areas, including the capital, where clashes were continuing. IOM’s Paul Dillon told that “last Tuesday, the figure stood at 340,000. And, of course, prior to the fighting, an estimated 3.7 million people were internally displaced in Sudan.”
Responding to a question about where internally displaced persons were heading, Mr. Dillon said the data was currently preliminary and being analysed. They were moving into multiple states, including White Nile and Khartoum. Decisions to move were influenced by many different factors, including whether there was conflict in the area. However, it was difficult for the people to find money since cash distributors are not working and the banking system is not functioning. Fuel is difficult to come by and expensive, according to IOM.
“The IOM has stock of non-food items in six warehouses around the country,” said the IOM spokesperson. “But to date, we have been unable to deliver to those in need. The fighting must end and humanitarians must be allowed to resume their work, providing assistance to those most in need before the situation spirals further out of control.”
Last night United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned looting at the main compound of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Khartoum over the weekend. This was the latest targeting of humanitarian facilities since the start of the crisis, now into its fourth week. Most, if not all, United Nations agencies and its humanitarian partners had been impacted by large-scale looting.
“At this point, we don't have any information, we aren't even able to confirm the extent of the looting in the Khartoum office, but reiterate that the food, the vehicles, the fuel, the assets that have been looted from WFP, you know, go towards the response for the people in Sudan. And this directly hurts the people of Sudan,” said Isheeta Sumra, WFP’s Communications Officer speaking from the agency's headquarters in Rome.
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) also reported attacks and looting of health care facilities in Sudan.
“Since 15 April, WHO has verified 28 attacks on health, leading to eight deaths and 18 injuries. More reports are under verification,” said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarević. “These attacks include looting, obstruction of access to health care, violent attacks using weapons and the forced occupation of facilities. Unfortunately, the looting is affecting health care facilities. And this is something that severely undermines the possibility of Sudanese people to seek health care.”
At the same briefing, the WHO said 604 people had been killed and more than 5,000 injured since the violence erupted in mid April between the rival armed factions. The latest casualty figures were released by the Sudanese Ministry of Health.
-ends-
STORY: Sudan Update: IOM – WFP - WHO
TRT: 02’23”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
RELEASE DATE: 09 May 2023
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide shot: UN flag alley UN Geneva
- Wide shot of journalists, conference room, Palais des Nations, Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) - Paul Dillon, Spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration (IOM): “The number of people internally displaced in Sudan has more than doubled in the last week, according to data that has been collected by the International Organization for Migration’s Displacement Tracking Matrix. Now, more than 700,000 people are now internally displaced by the fighting, which began on the 15th of April.”
- Medium shot of technician, speaker and podium in the background, conference room, Palais des Nations
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) - Paul Dillon, Spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration (IOM): “Last Tuesday, the figure stood at 340,000. And of course, prior to the fighting, an estimated 3.7 million people were internally displaced in Sudan.”
- Wide shot: journalists
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) - Paul Dillon, Spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration (IOM): “The IOM has stock of non-food items in six warehouses around the country. But to date, we have been unable to deliver to those in need. The fighting must end and humanitarians must be allowed to resume their work, providing assistance to those most in need before the situation spirals further out of control.”
- Medium shot: journalists, monitor in background
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Isheeta Sumra, Communications Officer of the World Food Programme (WFP): “At this point, we don't have any information. We aren't even able to confirm the extent of the looting in the Khartoum office, but reiterate that the food, the vehicles, the fuel, the assets that have been looted from WFP, you know, go towards the response for the people in Sudan. And this directly hurts the people of Sudan.”
- Wide shot: journalists and technicians in the room
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Tarik Jašarević, Spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO): “Since 15 April, WHO has verified 28 attacks on health, leading to eight deaths and 18 injuries. More reports are under verification. These attacks include looting, obstruction of access to health care, violent attacks using weapons and the forced occupation of facilities. Unfortunately, the looting is affecting health care facilities. And this is something that severely undermines the possibility of Sudanese people to seek health care.”
- Wide shot: journalists, conference room
- Wide shot: journalists, conference room
- Medium shot: journalists
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Brutal Gaza war erased years of progress on education, in an “assault on the future itself” – UNICEF
Restoring Gaza’s shattered education system is “lifesaving” and getting children back into schools must be an immediate priority, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , HRC
Volker Türk, the UN Human Rights High Commissioner, made the following remarks during a briefing to a Special Session on Iran at the Human Rights Council.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , UNOPS , UNIS
Amid the launch of President Trump's Board of Peace and reconstruction talks on Gaza, UN aid agencies insisted on Friday that what Gazans need most is immediate relief from the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe there.
2
6
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences , Images | HRC
At UN, war crimes probe pledges to continue to work for all impacted by Hamas-Israel conflict
As President Trump launched the international Board of Peace plan for Gaza on Thursday, top independent rights experts tasked by the UN Human Rights Council with investigating grave abuses linked to the Hamas-Israel war pledged to continue their work seeking justice and accountability for all.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said Tuesday UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk was outraged by the repeated large-scale attacks by the Russian Federation on energy infrastructure in Ukraine.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN warns against repeating abuses in South Kordofan that occurred in El Fasher.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF
Mozambique floods heighten disease, malnutrition risks – UN agencies
Catastrophic flooding in Mozambique is causing massive disruption to lives and livelihoods across the country, increasing the risk of disease and exposing urban areas to crocodiles, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | OCHA
Yemen: Children are dying and it’s going to get worse, aid veteran warns
In Yemen, renewed political instability threatens and economic woes linked to the war to complicate the already difficult task of helping vulnerable people suffering from deepening hunger, illness and displacement, the UN's top aid official there said on Monday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , IFRC
Ukraine: Families in ‘survival mode’ amid Russian strikes and -18°C cold
Families across Ukraine are in “constant survival mode” amid ongoing waves of Russian missile and drone strikes that have left blocks without power for days at a time, while temperatures plunge to a deadly -18°C (-0.4°F), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the bi-weekly press conference in Geneva, UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence urges Iranian authorities to end violent repression and calls for accountability.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Gaza: A ceasefire that ‘still buries children’ is not enough, says UNICEF
Airstrikes, drone strikes and hypothermia are among the lethal conditions prevailing in Gaza despite the ceasefire, with more than 100 children killed since early October, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
At the UN bi-weekly press conference in Geneva, UN Human Rights Spokesperson Marta Hurtado commented on the widespread repression and intimidation against political opposition ahead of the general elections in Uganda.