Over 7.4 mln Flee War in Sudan: UN agency

KHARTOUM, (Xinhua) — The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Sunday said the number of people fleeing the war in Sudan has surpassed 7.4 million.

“More than 7.4 million people have been displaced inside and outside Sudan since the fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on April 15, 2023,” OCHA said in its latest update on Sunday.

The number of people displaced in Sudan has increased by about 611,000 over the past month, with many newly displaced from Gezira and other states, it noted.

“The expansion of fighting between the SAF and the RSF into central and eastern Sudan – the country’s crop production regions – has driven a significant increase in humanitarian needs,” OCHA said.

“Insecurity, looting, bureaucratic impediments, poor network and phone connectivity, lack of cash, and limited technical and humanitarian staff are affecting the delivery of aid,” said the UN agency.

It added that the 2024 Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan appeal is only 3.1 percent funded as of Sunday.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the SAF and the RSF since April 15, 2023, which have so far led to more than 12,000 people killed, according to earlier OCHA estimates.