UN OCHA SUDAN update as of Jan 8 says: "Insecurity and safety concerns are the main operational challenges in Al Jazeera State, with humanitarian missions suspended since 15 December 2023 and virtually no humanitarian partners operating in Wad Madani as the conflict is still ongoing.
An implementing partner of the World Food Programme (WFP) operates nutrition services with limited capacity at Al Managil and Al Hasahisa, covering Supplementary Feeding Programmes (SFP).
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) deployed teams to conduct rapid needs assessments in Sennar, Gedaref, and White Nile states.
In Gedaref, preparations for the Alhoury IDP gathering site are ongoing, with plans for some IDPs to be moved to the site on 7 January. ZOA is providing ready-made meals to IDPs upon arrival at the site. Care International in Sudan is building emergency latrines, and the local NGO Al Tawaki provides drinking water.
In Sennar, the security situation remains a significant challenge as shelling and aerial bombardment continue to be reported in the outskirts of Sennar, including near the Sennar Sugar Factory, about 32 km northwest of Sennar. Interruptions of Internet and mobile networks, bank services, and cash liquidity have continued to pose challenges to the operations of humanitarian organizations.
In the states of Kassala and Red Sea, humanitarian partners are responding to the needs of new IDPs from Aj Jazirah. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Holland is a new implementing partner that began operating in Kassala. 52 sites (primarily public schools) currently hosting the newly displaced families from Jazirah.
In Red Sea State, the authorities have opened two new gathering sites to accommodate IDPs from Jazirah and other locations and have registered 280 new arrivals at Abdalla Nagi and Salalab Algarbyia schools.
In White Nile State, NRC distributed 500 hygiene kits in Aj Jabalain locality and three gathering sites in Kosti.
In Blue Nile State, Relief International (RI) will soon deploy two mobile clinics to support IDPs from Aj Jazirah". Read more.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
Since 15 December 2023, an estimated 509,800 people have been affected by the clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in parts of Aj Jazirah State, according to theInternational Organization for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) Focused Flash Alert: Conflict in Aj Jazirah State. IOM DTM Sudan estimated that of this number about 275,800 internally displaced persons (IDPs) – or 54 per cent of the total affected individuals – were subjected to first-time displacement, originating from Medani Al Kurba and Sharg Aj Jazirah localities in Aj Jazirah State.
About 234,000 IDPs – 46 per cent of the total affected – had previously sought refuge in Aj Jazirah from Khartoum State and experienced secondary displacement following the outbreak of violence in Aj Jazirah on 15 December 2023. In addition, IOM DTM field teams found out that 152,400 IDPs that were living in 380 locations in Sharg Al Jazirah, Medani Al Kubra, Al Hasahisa, Janub Al Jazirah, Al Kamlin, and Um Algura left those locations. These locations included 133 schools, 24 sheltering centers, 35 villages, and 50 neighbourhoods.
Roads to villages located east of Aj Jazirah, including Sharg Al Neel in Khartoum State, have been cut off, with traders using alternative roads to bring supplies. This has created a shortage in basic food commodities and the prices have reportedly tripled. Cattle owners reportedly face significant shortages of animal feed, with thousands of cattle at risk of being lost. There are reports of civilian displacement in Al Managil, with displaced people sheltering in schools, while prices for fuel have reportedly quadrupled affecting the movement of people and supplies.
There are also some reports of IDPs from Aj Jazirah arriving in parts of White Nile State near the border with South Sudan, and individual cases of people moving further to Renk, and onward to Juba in South Sudan. According to an NGO partner, about 500 people arrived in the Aj Jabalain area near the South Sudan border.
While many affected IDPs reportedly sought refuge in relatively safer locations within Aj Jazirah (about 205,500 people), DTM field teams reported that 60 per cent of the total affected people – representing 304,340 IDPs – fled to other states in Sudan. IDPs from Aj Jazirah were observed in Gedaref (64,551 IDPs), Sennar (60,000 IDPs), Red Sea (50,035 IDPs), White Nile (40,750 IDPs), River Nile (30,000 IDPs), Kassala (30,000 IDPs), Blue Nile (15,000 IDPs), and Northern (14,000 IDPs) states.
Before the eruption of the clashes on 15 December 2023, DTM Sudan estimated that about 525,000 IDPs sought refuge within Aj Jazirah as of 13 December 2023 – with the vast majority reportedly displaced from Khartoum state (more than 99 per cent) and less than 1 per cent originating from Aj Jazirah. The majority of IDPs were in Al Hasahisa (17 per cent), Medani Al Kubra (16 per cent), Al Kamlin (16 per cent), Sharg Al Jazirah (16 per cent), and Al Qurashi (10 per cent) localities.
HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
Insecurity and safety concerns are the main operational challenges in Al Jazeera State, with humanitarian missions suspended since 15 December 2023 and virtually no humanitarian partners operating in Wad Medani as the conflict is still ongoing.
An implementing partner of the World Food Programme (WFP) operates nutrition services with limited capacity at Al Managil and Al Hasahisa, covering Supplementary Feeding Programmes (SFP).
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) deployed teams to conduct rapid needs assessments in Sennar, Gedaref, and White Nile states.
In Gedaref, preparations for the Alhoury IDP gathering site are ongoing, with plans for some IDPs to be moved to the site on 7 January. ZOA is providing ready-made meals to IDPs upon arrival at the site. Care International in Sudan is building emergency latrines, and the local NGO Al Tawaki provides drinking water.
Site management cluster partners erect shelters and install basic Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and health service facilities on-site. Ed Al-Tine, Umm Khanjar, and Wad Omar schools are being assessed as options for the second proposed IDP site in central Gedaref. NRC will be responsible for the site management in Al Fao, and the location in Al Mafaza locality will be prepared soon. The inter-sector rapid needs assessment (ISRNA) will commence once the IDPs are relocated to the proposed sites.
Meanwhile, some partners have reported restrictions on access to Al Fao imposed by security bodies for safety reasons. This has affected the provision of humanitarian assistance e.g., mobile clinic services in the area.
NRC completed two distributions, delivering 300 non-food item (NFI) kits to about 1,500 newly displaced people in Al Mafaza locality. NRC is also actively preparing for upcoming distributions in Al Galabat Al Gharbyah locality in Gedaref, with a special focus on assisting about 600 IDPs relocating to this area.
The current efforts include site preparation, such as ground levelling and tent setup, along with NFI distribution. NRC also organized a one-day training session for 15 Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) volunteers on general protection aspects with a particular emphasis on individual protection assistance for new IDPs.
In Sennar, the security situation remains a significant challenge as shelling and aerial bombardment continue to be reported in the outskirts of Sennar, including near the Sennar Sugar Factory, about 32 km northwest of Sennar. Interruptions of Internet and mobile networks, bank services, and cash liquidity have continued to pose challenges to the operations of humanitarian organizations. SRCS, with support from the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, distributed food items (sugar, lentils, rice, oil, beans) to 2,367 IDPs from Aj Jazirah at five gathering sites and 7,000 residents from the host communities in Sennar. SRCS also continues hygiene promotion campaigns and provides first aid and psychosocial support to the IDPs in gathering sites in Sennar. NRC provided non-food supplies to about 2,700 newly displaced people in Sennar and Sinja localities.
In the states of Kassala and Red Sea, humanitarian partners are responding to the needs of new IDPs from Aj Jazirah. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Holland is a new implementing partner that began operating in Kassala. 52 sites (primarily public schools) currently hosting the newly displaced families from Jazirah. Most sector partners are responding to the new influx with their available resources, and other sectors have started planning the response activities.
The situation is dynamic with the continuous commuting of families in and out of Kassala. WFP is set to distribute general food assistance rations shortly to 4,818 IDPs from Aj Jazirah in 52 gathering points. The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) team also plans to provide food in coordination with WFP.
WASH cluster partners are conducting a two-day technical needs assessment on 7-8 January in all 52 IDP locations in Kassala. The Water and Environmental Sanitation Department (WES) has about 20 water bladders of different sizes to be installed immediately after the technical assessment. The two national NGOs – Al Eshrag Organization for Development and Reconstruction and Friends of Peace and Development Organization (FPDO) – provide water and hygiene kits for the newly displaced people.
In Red Sea State, the authorities have opened two new gathering sites to accommodate IDPs from Jazirah and other locations and have registered 280 new arrivals at Abdalla Nagi and Salalab Algarbyia schools. Newly arrived IDPs from Aj Jazirah need shelter, non-food supplies and food assistance. Port Sudan youth groups started providing ready meals with their limited resources. A significant number of newly displaced families are believed to be staying with host communities.
In White Nile State, NRC distributed 500 hygiene kits in Aj Jabalain locality and three gathering sites in Kosti.
In Blue Nile State, Relief International (RI) will soon deploy two mobile clinics to support IDPs from Aj Jazirah. Human Appeal and other organizations have provided food for IDPs at Nahda school. UNICEF supported the provision of 2,000 litres of safe water for newly arrived IDPs from Aj Jazirah in Ed Damazine. UNICEF has also provided cleaning tools for two IDP gathering sites (schools) in Ed Damazine town and conducted three-day cleaning campaigns. IRC provided WASH NFIs and hygiene dignity kits for about 450 IDPs at two gathering sites.
BACKGROUND
After years of protracted crisis, Sudan plunged into a conflict of alarming scale when fighting between SAF and RSF broke out initially in Khartoum on 15 April, and quickly expanded to other areas across the country. Khartoum has been the site of heavy fighting, while severe violent clashes and heavy bombardments have also been reported in the greater Darfur and Kordofan regions. The hostilities have resulted in extensive damage to critical infrastructure and facilities, including water and healthcare, the collapse of banking and financial services, frequent interruptions to electricity supply and telecommunication services and widespread looting. Since the conflict broke out, humanitarian needs have increased and almost 25 million people now require assistance in Sudan. More than 6.8 million people have been forced to leave their homes for safety elsewhere.
An estimated 5.9 million people live in Aj Jazirah State, Sudan’s breadbasket, with 700,000 living in Wad Medani. More than 270,000 people in the town need humanitarian assistance. Since April 15, 2023, nearly 500,000 people have fled to Al Jazirah State, 86,400 of whom are in Wad Medani. About 1.9 million people are in crisis (IPC 3) and have above-level food security in the state, with 179,000 in Wad Medani between October 2023 and February 2024, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). There is an ongoing cholera outbreak in Aj Jazirah and neighbouring states. 57 humanitarian organizations work in the state, including 25 international NGOs, 21 national NGOs and six UN agencies. So far this year humanitarian organizations have reached 730,000 people in Aj Jazirah with food assistance, WASH, health and other humanitarian interventions.
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For more information, please contact: Alimbek Tashtankulov, Public Information Officer, OCHA Sudan, tashtankulov@un.org, Mob: +249 (0)912 160361
View original and Download report with map here:
https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/sudan/flash-update/4o5Zm94HTs1ilqxfZfZ40U/
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