HIGHLIGHTS
• More than 4.5 million people have been displaced inside and outside Sudan due to the conflict that erupted on 15 April between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
• Nearly 76 per cent of the people internally displaced are from Khartoum.
• Recent clashes between the SAF and RSF in Nyala, South Darfur, have displaced an estimated 50,000 people.
• Measles, whooping cough, acute watery diarrhoea, dengue fever and malaria have been reported in various states.
• More than 33,000 people have been affected by torrential rains in Northern State.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE (1 hour ago) [23 Aug 2023 17:00 BST]
Sudan Humanitarian Update (23 August 2023)
SITUATION OVERVIEW
As the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues across the country, civilian displacement and humanitarian needs continue to steadily increase.
To date, more than 4.5 million people have been displaced inside and outside the country due to the conflict that erupted on 15 April. More than 3.6 million people have been displaced internally as of 22 August, according to the International Organization for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix (IOM DTM). People have been displaced across all 18 states. The majority are in River Nile, Northern, East Darfur, Sennar and White Nile states. Nearly 76 per cent of internally displaced people (IDPs) are originally from Khartoum. In addition, more than 947,000 people have crossed the border into neighbouring countries as of 21 August, including Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
At least 498 children in Sudan, and likely hundreds more, have died from hunger, including two dozen babies in a state orphanage, as critical services run out of food or close, according to a recent statement by the international NGO Save the Children (SC). Since the start of the conflict in mid-April, SC has been forced to close 57 nutrition facilities, leaving 31,000 children across the country without treatment for malnutrition and related illnesses. In the remaining 108 facilities that are still operational, therapeutic food stocks are running critically low. In May, Sudan's only factory for manufacturing "Plumpy'Nut", key to treating malnutrition in children, was burned to the ground. The factory had been producing around 10,000 tons of Plumpy’Nut paste every year, which was used by aid agencies such as SC, the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF. Even before the conflict, existing stocks in the country were nearly exhausted and could not be restocked due to funding shortages.
In Gedaref State, SC reported that at least 132 children died from malnutrition between April and July, 36 per cent of whom were admitted to one state hospital. The hospital has reported a significant increase in cases of malnutrition, especially among children recently displaced from Khartoum and living in squalid camps. In White Nile State, at least 316 children, mostly under the age of five, died from malnutrition or associated illnesses between May and July, and more than 2,400 children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) – the deadliest form of malnutrition – were admitted to nutrition facilities since the beginning of the year.
An estimated 50,000 people (10,000 families) were displaced by renewed clashes between the SAF and RSF from 11 to 17 August in Nyala Town, the state capital of South Darfur State, according to IOM DTM. People fled their homes in Al-Mazad, Tayba, Seka Hadeed, Al-Jabal, Neil, Karrari, Musa and Texas neighbourhoods to Hai Al-Jeer, Al-Nahda, As Salam, Derwa and Kangho neighbourhoods within the town. Others took refuge in As Salam, Al Serief, Otash and Kalma displacement camps, with additional people fleeing to Tulus, Buram, As Salam and Damso localities. There are also reports of people arriving in Shia'ria locality and Ad Du’ayn Town in East Darfur and in Al Fasher Town in North Darfur. At least 60 people have been killed and 250 others injured during the fighting, according to IOM. Staff at the Turkish Hospital – which is already understaffed – are reportedly struggling to cope with the influx of wounded people, and humanitarian partners on the ground report that medical supplies are running low. Gathering information from Nyala Town in recent days has been challenging, as communication towers have reportedly been damaged during the fighting, and the electricity and water systems in the town are no longer functioning.
Clashes between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) Al Hilu faction and SAF continue to be reported in South Kordofan. On 14 August, clashes took place in Kadugli Town, the state capital of South Kordofan State, reportedly forcing at least 6,700 people to flee to neighbourhoods in the west of the town, according to the government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) in South Kordofan. This number has yet to be verified. During the clashes, two humanitarian compounds and many public buildings were hit by stray bullets. Humanitarian staff have been advised to restrict their movements in Kadugli Town. Due to the insecurity, aid workers travelling from other areas are not able to reach the town. Humanitarian food stocks in Kadugli Town have been depleted, and attempts to bring in more supplies have failed due to insecurity along the road from Dilling to Kadugli and due to the blocking of the road into the town by the SPLM-N. The last food distributions for three months were in May and will last families until the end of this month. Other humanitarian stocks in Kadugli, especially health and nutrition supplies, are also running low. Fighting between the SPLM-N Al Hilu faction and SAF has been ongoing and escalating in the state since 17 June. To date, nine out of 17 localities have been affected by the clashes, resulting in the displacement of more than 69,400 people.
Climate change has made Northern State very vulnerable to torrential rains and flash flooding. On 5 August, heavy rainfall affected six out of the seven localities in the state, including Merowe, Al Golid, Ad Dabbah, Dongola, Al Burgaig and Halfa. According to the HAC in Northern State, about 6,670 families (some 33,400 people) were affected by heavy rains, storms and flash flooding. About 1,580 homes were destroyed, 5,090 homes were damaged, 59 public facilities were affected, and 4,672 latrines were either destroyed or damaged.
So far, the HAC has distributed 20 tents, 40 blankets, 50 sleeping mats and 50 plastic sheets, while the Civil Defence has distributed 20 plastic sheets. The Zakat Chamber provided 100 bags of flour and some cash. The Ministry of Investment provided oil, and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) provided 150 blankets, 50 plastic sheets and 30 kitchen sets. Humanitarian partners need additional supplies to support those affected by the heavy rains and flooding. Outstanding needs include emergency shelter and non-food item (NFI) kits for 3,000 people; tools and equipment for vector control, as vector-borne diseases increase during the rainy season; 20,000 chlorine tablets for water purification; 100,000 plastic sacks; 50 water pumps; 100 first aid kits; 3,000 hygiene kits; and 3,000 mosquito nets.
The Health Cluster has reported suspected measles outbreaks in White Nile, Blue Nile, Gedaref, Kassala, Aj Jazirah, West Kordofan, River Nile, North Darfur and Red Sea states. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 3,046 suspected measles cases, with 84 associated deaths. Most of the cases are from White Nile and Blue Nile states. In White Nile, health partners are meeting weekly to update and monitor the response, and a vaccination campaign for children under five years of age is planned. The Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) has reported 16 cases of suspected pertussis (whooping cough) in River Nile, Kassala and Red Sea states. In South Kordofan, 308 acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) cases and seven related deaths have been reported by health partners, while 23,743 AWD cases have been reported in Blue Nile, White Nile, Red Sea, Kassala and Gedaref States. In Red Sea State, 11 dengue fever cases have been confirmed. In Blue Nile, River Nile, White Nile, South and North Darfur, Red Sea, Kassala and Aj Jazirah states, 280,965 clinical cases of malaria and three associated deaths have been reported. In Port Sudan, 50 heat stroke cases, including 13 associated deaths, have been reported.
Trucks loaded with nutrition, health, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies destined for Nyala Town have remained in Ad Du'ayn Town, the capital of East Darfur, since 14 August due to the fighting, and planned distributions by the UN Children’s Agency (UNICEF) have been postponed. There are concerns that continued fighting will cause the already precarious humanitarian situation in the state to deteriorate and heighten the health, nutrition, sanitation and food security needs of the vulnerable. Meanwhile, some areas could become inaccessible if roads become impassable during the ongoing rainy season.
ACCESS
The spread of active conflict and armed clashes across Sudan, combined with impediments and obstacles faced by aid organizations, have continued to impact humanitarian access. A total of 865 access incidents have been reported since 15 April, of which over a third were due to active hostilities impeding relief operations. The highest number of incidents was recorded in Khartoum. A total of 220 visa applications are still pending, limiting the ability of aid organizations to scale up the response. Meanwhile, travel permits required for in-country movements are time-consuming to obtain and ultimately delay access to locations outside Port Sudan, particularly hard-to-reach areas such as Khartoum and the Darfur region.
The looting of aid facilities, warehouses and supplies continues to pose a major challenge to the humanitarian response, diminishing stocks and equipment and resulting in delays in the delivery of life-saving assistance. A total of 19 aid workers have been killed in Sudan since 15 April. At least 26 aid workers have been detained since mid-April, and many others report having faced attempts of forced recruitment by armed groups. Looting represents almost a third of all access-related incidents. In June and July, 15 warehouses, 11 offices and 43 vehicles were looted. This brings the total to 50 warehouses, 83 offices and 202 vehicles since the conflict began. Looting of medical supplies, food stores and nutrition supplies has put millions of people at increased risk of acute malnutrition and even starvation. Under international humanitarian law (IHL), all humanitarian facilities must be afforded full protection from attacks and looting during conflict.
Despite these ongoing challenges, access and civil-military coordination efforts have enabled the movement of relief items on the ground. A total of 683 trucks carried over 31,000 metric tons (MT) of relief items to people in need across 13 states in Sudan in June and July, bringing the total cumulative amount delivered to over 71,000 MT since 22 May. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) deconfliction and access negotiation system has allowed partners to deliver relief items to Khartoum, North Darfur, North Kordofan, South Kordofan, West Kordofan and White Nile. Significantly, in July, 13 new localities were reached for the first time since 15 April through the OCHA-led Humanitarian Information Sharing Mechanism, through which the location of humanitarian sites and facilities are communicated to parties to the conflict. Cross-border assistance continues from Egypt and Ethiopia, and a scale-up in assistance from Chad into Darfur is expected in the coming weeks. Full details on humanitarian access are available on the Humanitarian Access Situation Report (June to July 2023).
STATE UPDATES
The majority of people internally displaced across the country due to the conflict are from Khartoum State. IOM estimates that more than 2.7 million people fled their homes in Khartoum to other locations within the state or to other states. An estimated 40,225 people (about 1.47 per cent of the people displaced from the state) are currently displaced within Khartoum and have taken refuge within the localities of Bahri, Jebel Awlia, Karrari, Khartoum, Sharg An Neel, Um Bada and Um Durman, as of 22 August. About 64 per cent of internally displaced people (IDPs) are living with relatives; the rest have rented accommodations.
River Nile State hosts the highest number of displaced people within Sudan. More than 510,000 people (14 per cent of all people internally displaced) have taken refuge in 244 locations across Abu Hamad, Ad Damar, Al Buhaira, Al Matama, Atbara, Barbar and Shendi localities. About 77 per cent of the displaced people are living with relatives, 15.75 per cent have rented accommodations, 4 per cent have taken refuge in schools and public buildings, and 2.4 per cent have taken refuge in improvised shelters.
In Northern State, IOM reports that 362,946 people fleeing the conflict between SAF and RSF have taken refuge in 234 locations across the state as of 22 August. All of the newly displaced people in Northern State have arrived from Khartoum, fleeing fighting between the SAF and RSF, and have taken refuge in Ad Dabbah, Al Burgaig, Al Golid, Delgo, Dongola, Halfa and Merowe localities. About 81 per cent of the displaced people are living with relatives, 10 per cent have taken refuge in schools and public buildings, and about 9 per cent have rented accommodations.
Due to increasing humanitarian needs in the state, coordinated humanitarian assistance is needed. To ensure this, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) held an orientation session for line ministries and humanitarian actors in the state on 17 August on the establishment of an area humanitarian country team (A/HCT), an area inter-agency cluster coordination group (A/ICCG), and a cluster system in the state. It was agreed to establish both the A/HCT and A/ICCG groups and hold regular meetings, and to establish a cluster system starting with health, education, agriculture, WASH, and protection – including child protection and gender-based violence (GBV). OCHA will train staff from the government HAC in Northern State and partners in the state on the operation of these coordination structures.
IOM estimates that more than 36,000 people have taken refuge in schools and other public buildings. State authorities have allocated spaces where shelters can be built to house IDPs and requested UNHCR’s help in building the shelters ahead of the winter season, which is fast approaching. UNHCR, in collaboration with HAC in Northern State, has distributed the full package of NFIs to 218 families, benefitting about 1,100 people in seven gathering sites.
Humanitarian workers are facing several gaps and challenges in responding to the needs of displaced people in Northern State. There are insufficient nutrition services and supplies for children and nursing mothers and a lack of ambulance services for referrals, amid high transportation costs. Displaced people at gathering sites also have little food, and there are not enough hygiene promotion activities. Services catering to children and people with special needs are also lacking. Humanitarian partners do not have adequate funds to respond to the needs of people affected by flooding in six localities in the state. There is also a limited number of partners on the ground, and these partners lack resources for the response. There are further difficulties in identifying and registering displaced people living with families or who have rented accommodations. Meanwhile, communications connectivity is poor.
HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
Delivering humanitarian assistance has been challenged by insecurity, looting and bureaucratic impediments. Despite these issues, 100 humanitarian partners reached about 2.9 million people with life-saving assistance between April and July 2023. This includes vital education, health, food, nutrition, water and protection assistance. Before the conflict, 2.7 million people were reached with humanitarian assistance between January and March.
Since the start of the crisis in mid-April, WFP has provided in-kind food assistance to 1.8 million people across 15 states of Sudan’s 18 states. In July, more than 632,000 people received food assistance in Blue Nile, East Darfur, Gedaref, Aj Jazirah, Kassala, Khartoum, North Darfur, South Kordofan and White Nile states. However, access constraints – particularly in Darfur states, where violence is escalating – are hindering food distributions. Due to increased food needs, WFP plans to provide food assistance to 6.3 million people by the end of the year, an increase from the agency’s previous target of 5.9 million. The assistance will provide 262,000 children up to five years of age and pregnant and nursing women with nutrition assistance, and more than 635,000 people with malnutrition prevention activities. To achieve this, WFP is collaborating with UNICEF and other organizations to expand the delivery of nutrition support and assistance across vulnerable regions and augment capacity and implementation on the ground. As of July, WFP has reached about 49,500 children and pregnant and nursing women with malnutrition prevention activities. To sustain operations across the country, WFP in Sudan urgently requires US $367 million until January 2024.
FUNDING OVERVIEW
Humanitarian partners urgently require additional resources to scale up relief efforts across Sudan. The revised Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) requires US$2.6 billion to provide life-saving multi-sectoral assistance and protection services to 18.1 million people through the end of this year. To date, the appeal is only 25.7 per cent is funded, with $658.4 million received as of 23 August, according to the Financial Tracking Service.
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