The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Sudan emergency: One million now displaced in ongoing conflict
As heavy fighting continues, UN humanitarians warned on Friday that more than one million people have now been forced to flee for their lives.
A wave of deadly attacks reportedly targeted West Darfur’s capital, El-Geneina, in recent days, while the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said that more than 700 people had been killed and nearly 5,300 injured nationwide, after five weeks of clashes.
“Over one million people have now been recorded as displaced within Sudan or to neighboring countries,” said UNHCR spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh, as he issued an urgent appeal to respect the safety of civilians and to allow humanitarian aid to move freely, in line with an agreement reached by the warring parties in Jeddah on 11 May.
Under that accord between the national army and rival RSF militia, both sides agreed to allow trapped civilians to leave combat zones and allow humanitarian aid to enter.
Civilians will continue to suffer unless this deal is implemented, the UNHCR spokesperson insisted, echoing UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths’s condemnation of “flagrant violations” of the humanitarian agreement: “Unfortunately, what we've seen in the last couple of days is continued horrendous fighting on the ground, shelling, bombing and it's extremely important that what was committed to in Jeddah is enacted on the ground so that much needed aid can come in”.
Confirming that health facilities and health professionals have continued to be targeted since fighting broke out on 15 April, WHO spokesperson Carla Drysdale told journalists in Geneva that there have been 34 verified attacks, eight deaths and 18 injuries.
Sudan’s neighboring countries continue to be affected by the conflict, especially South Sudan, Chad, and particularly Egypt, which currently hosts the largest number of Sudanese, with 5,000 arriving every day. “That makes a total of almost 110,000 Sudanese who have entered the country, according to the Government,” said Mr. Saltmarsh.
In South Sudan, the numbers of refugees remain high, with around 1,500 arriving per day. Those fleeing the violence use via the Renk crossing in Upper Nile State, although "the transit facility near the border is becoming perilously crowded and resources are extremely stretched”, the UNHCR official noted.
In Chad, essential relief items such as safe drinking water and blankets have been delivered to almost 10,000 families, but UN humanitarians have warned that new arrivals are stuck in remote transit sites near the border with very limited supplies.
-ends-
STORY: Sudan Update - UNHCR - WHO
TRT: 3 min 6s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
PUBLISHED: 19 MAY 2023
DATELINE: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- Wide shot, UN Geneva flag alley.
- Wide shot, press room with spokespersons and journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Matthew Saltmarsh, UNHCR Spokesperson: “Over a month since the fighting have started, we're making an urgent appeal for the safety of civilians and to allow humanitarian aid to move into Sudan as we continue to scale up our response for the over one million people who have now been recorded as displaced within Sudan or to neighboring countries.”
- Medium shot of speaker.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Matthew Saltmarsh, UNHCR Spokesperson: “Around 88,000 refugees hosted by Sudan have fled Khartoum for safety in White Nile, Gedaref, Kassala Madani and Port Sudan. In those locations, UNHCR is delivering critical assistance, including, of course, shelters, household items, clean water and sanitation, health care and education support for refugees and other people who are displaced in White Nile.”
- Wide shot of speakers in the room.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Carla Drysdale WHO Spokesperson: “Overall 5,287 injuries, 705 deaths, in Khartoum state 3,254 injuries and 203 deaths.”
- Close-up shots of people in the room.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Carla Drysdale WHO Spokesperson: “Since 15 of April, WHO has verified 34 attacks on health leading to eight deaths and 18 injuries. 21 of these incidents impacted health facilities while 10 impacted health personnel.”
- Close-up shot of journalists in the room.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Matthew Saltmarsh, UNHCR Spokesperson: “Over 843,000 people have been internally displaced within the country, according to the IOM, with neighboring governments and UNHCR having recorded almost a quarter of a million crossing borders to date.”
- Close-up shot of a journalist typing.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Matthew Saltmarsh, UNHCR Spokesperson: “The numbers of those fleeing to Egypt, which is the largest host, are rapidly increasing and with partners we estimate that the numbers currently are around 5,000 everyday arrivals, that makes a total of almost 110,000 Sudanese who have entered the country, according to the government.”
- Close-up shot hands typing.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Matthew Saltmarsh, UNHCR Spokesperson: “In South Sudan arrival rates remain high, at around 1,500 a day and of the 63,000 who have arrived, many were South Sudanese refugees in Sudan. Most arrive via the Renk crossing in Upper Nile State. The transit facility near the border is becoming perilously crowded and resources are extremely stretched”.
- Close-up shot of journalists in the room.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Matthew Saltmarsh, UNHCR Spokesperson: “In Chad, we have delivered relief items to almost 10,000 families and we have stepped up our monitoring to address the most pressing protection concerns. Most new arrivals are still in remote transit sites near the border with very limited resources.”
- Wide shots of speakers on the podium.
- Medium shot of speaker.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Gaza: Five patients evacuated as Rafah reopens while ‘too many stayed behind’ – WHO
As time is running out for thousands of critically ill patients in Gaza, hope is alive for medical evacuations to increase with the reopening of the Rafah crossing in the southern part of the Strip, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNOG , OHCHR
This Sunday marks five years of crisis in Myanmar. Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights, and James Rodehaver, chief of the Myanmar team, today spoke on the conduct of recent military-imposed elections, deploring the failure to respect the fundamental human rights of the country’s citizens. The process served only to exacerbate violence and societal polarization.
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.