Sudan Humanitarian Update (14 December 2023) [EN/AR]

HIGHLIGHTS

  • More than 6.7 million people have been displaced inside and outside Sudan since fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces on 15 April 2023.

  • An ICRC convoy was attacked in Khartoum State leaving two people killed and another seven injured, including three ICRC staff.

  • Conflict and economic decline have made 17.7 million people across Sudan acutely food insecure, with 4.9 million experiencing emergency levels of hunger, according to IPC.

  • The number of suspected cholera cases continues to increase and reached 6,939 cases as of 10 December, having increased by more than 136 per cent over the past month.

  • Insecurity, looting, bureaucratic impediments, poor network and phone connectivity, lack of cash, and limited technical and humanitarian staff are affecting the delivery of humanitarian aid in many parts of the country.

  • The revised 2023 Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan appeal is only 38.9 per cent funded as of 14 December.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Eight months after fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted in mid-April, more than 6.7 million people have fled their homes, taking refuge inside and outside the country, with children representing about half of the people displaced. This is an increase of almost 100,000 people displaced within Sudan over the past week. Sudan is now the country with the largest number of displaced people and the largest child displacement crisis in the world.

According to the International Organization for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix (IOM DTM) Sudan Weekly Displacement Snapshot (13), more than 5.4 million people have been displaced within Sudan since April 2023. People have been displaced in 5,939 locations across the country’s 18 states, an increase of 466 locations in one week. Overall, 47 per cent of the displaced people have sought refuge across the Darfur and Kordofan regions, whereas the majority (53 per cent) of the displaced people have been observed in the northern, eastern, and central states. About 3.5 million (65 per cent) of the people displaced are from Khartoum and have sought shelter in River Nile, Aj Jazirah, White Nile, East Darfur, and Northern states. Most of the displaced people (65 per cent) live with host communities, while 14 per cent have taken refuge in schools and other public buildings. In addition, about 1.3 million people crossed into neighbouring countries since 15 April, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). People have crossed into neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

ICRC condemns a deliberate and deadly attack on its humanitarian convoy

Two people were killed and another seven injured, including three ICRC staff, on 10 December when ICRC’s humanitarian convoy of three vehicles and three buses, all clearly marked with the Red Cross emblem, was attacked in the Al-Shajara neighborhood in Khartoum. The injured were rushed to hospital for medical treatment. The convoy was supposed to evacuate over 100 vulnerable civilians from Khartoum to Wad Madani in Aj Jazirah State when it came under attack upon entering the evacuation area. The humanitarian operation had been requested by and coordinated with the parties to the conflict, who gave their agreement and provided the necessary security guarantees. The ICRC called for the immediate protection of all civilians, including humanitarian workers and medical personnel, and reminded that they must never be directly attacked.

Moreover, civilians trapped in areas of fighting must be allowed safe passage from conflict zones and the fighting parties must facilitate this. ICRC reiterated to the parties to the conflict to respect the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems, which must never be targeted. On 11 December, the Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan Clementine Nkweta-Salami expressed deep alarm and shock at the news of the reckless attack.

About 17.7 million people acutely food insecure, 4.9 million experiencing emergency levels of hunger - IPC On 12 December, the Integrated Food Security Classification Phase (IPC) issued an updated acute food insecurity projection in Sudan for October 2023 - February 2024. The projection update reveals that intense conflict and organized violence, coupled with the continued economic decline, have driven about 17.7 million people across Sudan (37 per cent of the population) into high levels of acute food insecurity, classified in IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse) between October 2023 and February 2024. This includes about 4.9 million people (10 per cent of the population) who are in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) – emergency levels of hunger - and almost 12.8 million people (27 percent of the population analysed) are in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis). An update on food security was carried out in October 2023 to allow for the revision of classifications of several states as the monitoring of key drivers and assumptions of the last projection analysis (July 2023) showed several changes in the assumptions used for the projected period.

Escalating conflict and persistent economic decline deepen food security crisis - FAO

On 12 December, FAO sounded the alarm about the escalating food security crisis in the Sudan, urging immediate and collective action to avert an impending humanitarian catastrophe. This came after IPC released an update on food insecurity in Sudan, highlighting that 17.7 million people across Sudan, which accounts for 37 percent of the analysed population, are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, classified in IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse) between October 2023 and February 2024. The most acutely food insecure populations are in states affected by prominent levels of organized violence, including Greater Darfur, Greater Kordofan and Khartoum – especially in the tri-city area of Khartoum, Bahri and Omdurman. The ongoing conflict and the escalating violence are deepening the humanitarian crisis and worsening the food security of people in several urban, semi-urban and rural areas. Further compounding this is the low agricultural production, high food prices, climate shocks and displacement according to FAO’s recently released Rapid assessment on the summer season agriculture performance.

WFP warns that hunger catastrophe looms in conflict-hit Sudan without urgent food assistance

Parts of Sudan are at a high risk of slipping into catastrophic hunger conditions by next year’s lean season if WFP is unable to expand access and regularly deliver food assistance to people trapped in conflict hotspots such as Khartoum, the Darfurs, and the Kordofans, WFP warned on 12 December. Nearly 18 million people are facing acute hunger – more than double the number at the same time a year ago. This figure is also higher than the initial projection of 15 million made in the previous assessment in August, demonstrating just how rapidly the food security situation is worsening.
Internal displacement by state (IOM DTM)

Currently, close to 5 million people are in emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC4) with over three-quarters of these people cornered in areas where humanitarian access has been intermittent and, in some areas, impossible due to ongoing fighting. Since the start of the conflict, WFP has provided life-saving assistance to over five million people, preventing an even worse deterioration of food security, especially in eastern and northern Sudan. Despite this, regular and safe humanitarian access to civilians in areas worst hit by violence has been inadequate.

Sorghum and millet prices declining in most markets due to the harvest season Sorghum and millet prices have been declining from their peak levels in August in most of the markets in Sudan as the main harvest season sets in, according to the latest FEWS NET update on Sudan. Meanwhile, wheat prices have been increasing in some markets, decreasing or remaining flat in others. October 2023 sorghum and wheat prices in Om Durman were significantly higher than their one year earlier levels, with wheat prices having more than doubled and sorghum prices being 60 per cent higher year on year. Sorghum, millet, and wheat are northern Sudan’s most important food commodities. Sorghum is the staple food for most poor households in central and eastern Sudan regions. Millet is the main staple food for the majority of households in Darfur and some parts of Kordofan regions in western Sudan. Wheat is often used as a substitute throughout northern Sudan but is a staple food for northern states.

More suspected cholera cases reported

The number of suspected cholera cases continues to increase and reached 6,939 cases as of 10 December, having increased by more than 136 per cent over the past month, according to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and WHO Sudan Outbreaks Dashboard. The number of associated deaths has doubled over the past month from 97 to 200. There are 1,824 suspected cases of cholera and 48 associated deaths in Gedaref; 1,397 suspected cases and 23 associated deaths in Aj Jazirah; 794 suspected cases and 37 associated deaths in Red Sea; 463 suspected cases and 26 associated deaths in Khartoum; 453 suspected cases and 22 associated deaths in White Nile; 346 suspected cases and eight associated deaths in South Kordofan; 72 suspected cases and three associated deaths in Sennar; 63 suspected cases and three associated deaths in Kassala; and two suspected case in Blue Nile. The oral cholera vaccine (OCV) campaign that started last week covers about 2.2 million people. The OCV campaign in Gedaref State targeted over 1.57 million people in six localities, of whom 97 per cent were reached. The OCV vaccination campaign in Aj Jazirah State targeted about 693,000 people in one locality, of whom 99 per cent were vaccinated.

Effect of inter-communal conflict on civilians

In North Kordofan, an unidentified armed group on 8 December attacked Wad Ghubeish village in Ar Rahad locality. IOM DTM field teams reported that about 130 people were displaced from Wad Ghubeish village to neighboring villages in the locality. Field teams also reported that commercial property, including livestock, was looted.
In South Kordofan, several people were reportedly killed, scores more injured and an estimated 1,750 people (350 families) were displaced to locations outside Dilling town following renewed clashes between members of the Nuba and Arab Hawazma tribes on 5 December. The clashes between the two groups erupted on 28 November north of Dilling town. According to reports received by OCHA personnel, a commercial property was burnt during the clashes, and the situation on the ground remains tense.