5.3 mln people displaced by war in Sudan: OCHA

Khartoum, Sudan | Xinhua | The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Friday said that some 5.3 million have fled from the war in Sudan since mid-April when the conflict broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

“With fighting between the SAF and the RSF in its fifth month since April, some 5.3 million people have fled their homes and sought refuge in Sudan or neighbouring countries,” OCHA said in its latest report on Friday.

“Within Sudan, more than 4.2 million people have been displaced to 3,929 locations across all 18 states as of September 19,” it said.

Also, over 1 million people have crossed into neighbouring countries, including the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan, OCHA cited the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) as saying.

It noted that the UN-led humanitarian appeal remains woefully underfunded, only at about 31 percent of what is needed.

“Donors should step up humanitarian funding for local and international organizations that are providing vital assistance in Sudan and neighbouring countries,” according to the report.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the SAF and the RSF in Khartoum and other areas since April 15, resulting in at least 3,000 deaths and more than 6,000 injuries, according to figures released by the Sudanese Health Ministry.