Over 9 million people internally displaced in Sudan, says UN

January 25, 2024 (KHARTOUM) – An estimated 9.05 million people have been internally displaced in Sudan, making the country the largest internal displacement crisis globally, the United Nations said.

The latest figure now means Sudan accounts for about 13% of all internally displaced persons globally and nearly 1 in every 8 IDPs worldwide is a Sudanese.

About 13,500 people were newly displaced within Sudan over the past week, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix shows.

Since mid-April 2023, armed clashes between rival military factions in multiple cities across Sudan have displaced an estimated 6 million people over the past nine months. Prior to this, Sudan was already hosting an estimated 3.8 million IDPs.

Over nine months after the war erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April 2023 in Khartoum, about 7.6 million people have fled their homes, taking refuge inside and outside Sudan.

Since mid-April 2023, about 6.1 million people have been displaced within Sudan, increasing by an estimated 13,500 people over the past week, the UN reported.

The 6.1 million IDPs are reportedly sheltering in 6,482 locations across all of Sudan’s 18 states, an increase of 127 locations in just one week. The majority of IDPs, 67%, are currently residing in host communities, compared to the 6% living in camps.

The highest number of IDPs were observed in South Darfur (12%), followed by River Nile (11%), East Darfur (11%), White Nile (8%), North Darfur (8%) and Aj Jazirah (7%).

Meanwhile, about 1.5 million people have crossed into neighbouring countries since 15 April 2023, according to figures from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

(ST)