UN: “Approximately 14 million civilians have been displaced in Sudan”

The United Nations announced that 11 million people have been displaced within Sudan due to the ongoing conflicts, and 3.1 million have fled the country. The report published indicated that civilians aged between 8 and 75 have been subjected to sexual assault in Sudan.

Amy Pope, the Director General of the United Nations (UN) International Organization for Migration (IOM), made statements regarding the latest situation in the country during her visit to Sudan. Highlighting that the security situation in the country is deteriorating, Pope stated that she has received distressing information about Sudanese civilians in difficult situations due to the conflicts from UN teams. Pope said, “The situation in Sudan is catastrophic. There is no other way to express this. Hunger, disease, and sexual violence are rampant. This is a nightmare for the people of Sudan.”

Pointing out that it has been 18 months since the clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began, Pope noted, “The Secretary-General stated that about 25 million people are in need of assistance. Recently, we have received shocking reports of mass killings and sexual violence in villages in the Al Jazirah state in the east of the country.”

“Half of the country’s population needs assistance”

Pope indicated that Sudan is experiencing the world’s largest displacement crisis this year, stating, “This week, the number of displaced persons has reached 11 million. This number has increased by 200,000 since September. 3.1 million people have crossed the border to escape the conflicts. In total, about 30% of Sudan’s population has been displaced. More than half of the displaced are women, and more than a quarter are children under the age of 5.” She noted that many people have been repeatedly displaced with very little or no access to shelters and the means to meet their basic needs, saying, “Half of the country’s population needs assistance. They have no access to shelter, clean drinking water, or healthcare. Diseases are spreading rapidly. One in two Sudanese is struggling to access the minimum amount of food needed to survive. Famine has prevailed in North Darfur, and millions are struggling every day to feed themselves.”

“The consequences of war are horrifying”

Pope emphasized that the parties to the conflict should protect civilians as required by their commitments and international humanitarian law and ensure safe, rapid, and unimpeded access to aid, stating, “At a conference held in Paris last April, the international community made generous commitments. However, only 52% of them have been funded. Since the outbreak of the war, IOM has been able to assist about 3 million people, but only 20% of our plan has been funded. We can do a lot with adequate funding. However, as long as the war continues, our progress will always be limited.” Expressing that all wars are ruthless, Pope said, “However, the consequences of this war are horrifying. The recent murders and horrific human rights violations in Al Jazirah state are another example of this. Since last year, reports of rape, torture, and ethnic violence have become very widespread. Indiscriminate attacks are being carried out, and civilians, including small children, are being killed.”

“Civilians aged between 8 and 75 are subjected to sexual assault”

The latest report published by the UN commission of inquiry indicated that RSF and allied forces have sexually assaulted civilians and abducted some women to enslave them. The report noted that the majority of the victims are women and girls aged between 17 and 35, and civilians who have been raped are aged between 8 and 75. It was reported that acts of sexual violence in Darfur are committed brutally with firearms, knives, and whips, using degrading, racist, or sexist expressions and death threats to intimidate or coerce the victims.

Commission President Mohammed Chande Othman stated, “The scale of sexual violence we have documented in Sudan is shocking. The situation faced by vulnerable civilians, especially women and girls of all ages, is extremely concerning and requires urgent intervention.” Thousands of people have lost their lives in the conflicts between the Sudanese army and RSF forces since April 15, 2023.