UNHCR/Ala Kheir. Displaced persons arrive in South Sudan from Sudan through the Jodah crossing.
According to preliminary estimates from the International Organization for Migration's Displacement Tracing Matrix, fighting in Sudan has recently spread to Wad Maidani, the capital of the country's second-largest city, Gezira State, where up to 300,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, setting off a new wave of mass displacement.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Sudan on 15 April, nearly 500,000 people have fled from Khartoum to seek refuge in Jezira State. The latest round of fighting that broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the outskirts of Wadhmadani on 15 December sparked panic and forced thousands of people to flee again.
Waves of displacement
IOM Director-General Amy Pope said this was a human tragedy of enormous scale that exacerbated Sudan's already dire humanitarian crisis. The escalating conflict and the growing number of displaced people underscore the urgency of a peaceful solution, with an urgent need for a ceasefire and a robust response to avoid a wider catastrophe.
People forcibly displaced by the conflict seek refuge in neighbouring states, with many travelling to South Sudan through border crossings in Lenk. Due to the lack of transportation, many people reportedly fled on foot and are seeking refuge in open areas, makeshift shelters, schools and host communities.
The humanitarian crisis has intensified
More than 7.1 million people have been displaced in Sudan since the latest outbreak of fighting, creating the largest displacement crisis in the world. More than 1.5 million people have fled to neighbouring countries, a staggering number for a country suffering from conflict, food insecurity and economic collapse.
"For more than eight months, the Sudanese people have been forced to endure the brutal reality of conflict," Pope said. Their lives are shattered, their families are torn apart, and their dreams of a peaceful future are shattered. The continued violence will further devastate the Sudan and destabilize the region. ”
Sudan is facing one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with nearly 25 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. The supply of basic necessities, such as food and health care, has been severely disrupted.
Aid was suspended
Since the beginning of the crisis, IOM has been at the forefront of the response, providing essential life-saving assistance to nearly 660,000 people in Sudan and neighbouring countries.
Wadhmedani is located in the heart of Gezira State, known as the "breadbasket of Sudan's agriculture", about 140 kilometers southeast of the conflict-torn capital, Khartoum.
The state of Gezira is also a key hub for humanitarian operations in the Sudan. Under Sudan's humanitarian response plan, all humanitarian missions in the state have been suspended, jeopardizing the delivery of critical assistance to more than 270,000 people in need in Wadhmadani, as well as displaced people fleeing ongoing violence.
