UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 19, (Xinhua/GNA) — Renewed clashes in Sudan’s South Darfur, have put many more civilians on the run, especially from the fighting in Nyala city, UN humanitarians said on Monday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), citing its own tallies and those of its humanitarian partners, said more than 5.1 million people fled their homes since mid-April, when the fighting in Sudan erupted.
Out of that, more than 1 million were forced to seek refuge outside the country. “The newly displaced families are arriving in areas that were already facing challenges, due to existing crises, with basic services extensively overstretched,” OCHA said. “According to our partners, since the beginning of the current conflict, at least 435 children have reportedly been killed and a further 500 have died from hunger, although the true toll is likely much higher,” OCHA said.
The humanitarian office also said heavy rains and flooding since July, affecting more than 80,000 people and damaging 12,000 houses, continue across the country. OCHA said humanitarian partners scaled up efforts and continue to help people in desperate need despite funding shortages, with at least 3.5 million receiving assistance since April.
On Wednesday, there will be an event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, to mobilize resources and show support to the people of Sudan, according to OCHA.
The office said the 2.6 billion U.S. dollar Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan is just 25 percent funded. Its goal is to help 18 million people.
GNA