The war in Sudan, now dragging into its 20th month, shows no signs of abating. Instead, it is escalating, leaving destruction and despair in its wake.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued a grave warning: the influx of refugees into South Sudan is overwhelming border regions, where resources and services are already stretched thin. Despite humanitarian efforts, funding shortfalls are undermining the response to this growing crisis.
A Surge of Desperate Arrivals
Over the past three weeks, more than 80,000 people have fled to South Sudan to escape intensified violence in Sudan’s White Nile, Sennar, and Blue Nile States. This staggering figure represents more than three times the daily arrival rate of previous weeks.
The vast majority of these refugees are women and children, who arrive at remote and hard-to-reach border crossings with little more than the clothes on their backs. Many are South Sudanese who had previously sought refuge in Sudan’s relatively safer areas but have now been forced to flee again.
Refugees and returning South Sudanese face dire conditions. Many shelter in makeshift tents or under trees in border villages ill-equipped to handle such an influx. Hoping for an end to the violence, they remain reluctant to move further inland. However, their situation grows increasingly desperate as limited resources in these areas are stretched to the breaking point.
Alarming Humanitarian Needs
The conditions at Joda, the main border crossing, are a stark reflection of the crisis. Malnutrition rates have surpassed emergency thresholds, and food and medical supplies are critically depleted. Vulnerable groups, such as children under five and pregnant and lactating women, face heightened risks of malnutrition. Meanwhile, the lack of clean water, sanitation facilities, and latrines exacerbates the threat of disease outbreaks like cholera.
Local health facilities, where they exist at all, are overwhelmed or non-functional. Hundreds of injured refugees have inundated Renk County Hospital, further straining an already overstretched system. Refugees recount harrowing tales of survival, including aerial bombardments and mass killings that forced them to flee. Some walked for up to two weeks to reach safety, with many succumbing to hunger, dehydration, and exhaustion along the way.
Villages Struggle to Cope
The refugee influx is also transforming small border villages. For instance, the villages of Gerbana and Dukuduku, which had a combined population of 6,000 just weeks ago, are now hosting over 15,000 new arrivals. Such surges have overwhelmed local resources, leaving both refugees and host communities struggling to meet basic needs.
Existing transit centers in Renk are similarly under pressure, hosting nearly 17,000 people—four times their intended capacity. The overcrowding poses significant challenges for delivering adequate services and maintaining basic sanitation and health standards.
Humanitarian Efforts and Challenges
In response to the crisis, UNHCR and its partners are working tirelessly to scale up assistance. At Joda, monitoring systems have been enhanced, and high-energy biscuits, oral rehydration sachets, and hygiene kits are being distributed. Health partners are expanding capacity by adding tents and beds, replenishing medical supplies, and deploying additional staff.
Efforts are also underway to identify land for new reception centers and expand existing transit facilities. Local authorities are allocating land for new arrivals, allowing refugees to build more permanent shelters.
However, the humanitarian response remains woefully underfunded. This year, aid partners in South Sudan have received just 24% of the required funding, and UNHCR estimates that $468 million will be needed in 2025 to adequately support refugees and host communities.
The Human Toll and the Road Ahead
Nearly 1 million people have fled to South Sudan since the Sudan conflict erupted in April 2023. For those fleeing violence, the journey is marked by unimaginable suffering. Refugees arrive traumatized, malnourished, and in urgent need of basic necessities. Host communities, already grappling with their own challenges, are now bearing the brunt of the crisis.
The war in Sudan is not just a regional tragedy—it is a global humanitarian emergency. Without significant international support, the lives of countless refugees and their host communities hang in the balance. As the world watches, urgent action is needed to provide life-saving aid and pave the way for a more sustainable solution to this protracted crisis.
Main Image: By Henry Wilkins/VOA – https://www.voanews.com/a/number-of-refugees-who-fled-sudan-for-chad-double-in-week-/7095241.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=132039457
