UN Reports Over Four Million Flee Sudan Amid Ongoing Conflict

GENEVA, Switzerland — More than four million people have fled Sudan since the conflict began in April 2023, according to officials from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Agency spokesperson Eujin Byun described this figure as a devastating milestone in what is currently the world’s most severe displacement crisis.

“If the conflict continues in Sudan, we expect thousands more people will continue to flee, putting regional and global stability at stake,” Byun said during a media briefing on Tuesday.

Sudan shares borders with several countries, including Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, and Libya. Alongside the more than four million refugees, approximately 10.5 million people are displaced within Sudan, per UN estimates.

Patrice Dossou Ahouansou, a UNHCR official, indicated that about 800,000 of those refugees have arrived in Chad. Conditions there are dire, with only 14 percent of funding appeals met, leaving many refugees without proper shelter.

The violence in Sudan has escalated, particularly in the western region of Darfur, where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been engaged in fierce fighting against the Sudanese military.

This week, a World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF aid convoy delivering food to el-Fasher was attacked, underscoring the dangers faced by humanitarian operations. “We have received information about the convoy being attacked in North Darfur,” UNICEF spokesperson Eva Hinds confirmed.

The conflict, which began with the overthrow of Sudan’s longtime president in 2019, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and severe infrastructure damage across the nation.

The UN has reported that around 26 million people in Sudan are facing acute hunger, with pockets of famine emerging, particularly in the west. Both sides of the conflict are accused of committing war crimes, complicating any potential resolution.

As the situation deteriorates, the prospect of a negotiated settlement appears increasingly unlikely, with leaders on both sides firmly refusing to compromise.

“Without significant international support, the humanitarian needs in Sudan will continue to escalate,” Ahouansou warned, emphasizing the urgent need for intervention.