Consequences of Three Months of Conflict in Sudan: Number of Refugees and Displaced Persons Exceeds Three Million

The International Organization for Migration has estimated that the number of internally displaced persons and refugees who have left their homes due to three months of conflict between military factions and ethnic violence has surpassed three million. This statistic, released on Tuesday, July 9, indicates that nearly two and a half million people have been displaced within Sudan, and more than 730,000 have fled to neighboring countries. According to Reuters, most of the displaced are fleeing from Khartoum, the capital and center of the power struggle between the army and the paramilitary group known as the 'Rapid Support Forces,' or from Darfur, which is experiencing increasing ethnic violence. The conflict between the paramilitary forces and the Sudanese army began in late April of this year. UN officials have stated that Sudan may enter a full-scale civil war, as there are no signs of progress in regional and international mediation efforts. Volker Perthes, the UN Special Envoy, said in Belgium, 'The war will not end anytime soon. Several ceasefire agreements have been violated, and the warring parties have used the ceasefire only to reposition themselves.' Recently, clashes between the army and the 'Rapid Support Forces' have been reported in southern Kordofan state and Blue Nile state near the border with Ethiopia, causing further displacement of residents from those areas. The war has devastated large parts of Sudan's capital and led to a wave of attacks in Darfur. Civilians are facing widespread looting, power outages, shortages of water and food, lack of facilities and health services, and increased sexual violence. The 'Unit for Combating Violence Against Women and Children' of the Sudanese government announced on Tuesday that since mid-April, 51 cases of sexual assault have been recorded in Khartoum. This unit, which is considered neutral, stated that most victims hold the 'Rapid Support Forces' responsible for these assaults. The new statistics on refugees and displaced persons in Sudan have been announced as a summit with the leaders of Sudan's neighboring countries is set to take place in Cairo on Thursday.