Khartoum, Sudan – (African Boulevard News) – The ongoing conflict in Sudan between the forces of rival generals is driving thousands of Sudanese refugees to flee to neighboring Chad. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reports that around 90,000 refugees have already arrived in Chad, and the numbers are still increasing rapidly.
The refugees are fleeing from the escalating violence in Sudan’s West Darfur province, where the forces of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who heads the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC), and General Hamdan Dagalo, a TMC deputy and leader of the Rapid Support Forces, have been clashing with rebel groups.
According to the UNHCR, the majority of the refugees arriving in Chad are women and children, with many traumatized by the violence they have witnessed and experienced. The refugees are living in makeshift camps in the border town of Adré, where they are facing numerous challenges, including acute shortages of food, shelter, and medical care.
The UNHCR and aid organizations are working to provide assistance to the refugees, but they are facing significant obstacles due to the remote location of the camps and the lack of resources. The UNHCR has called for urgent funding to support its operations in Chad, warning that the situation is deteriorating rapidly.
Ms. Albreda Ag Saïdou, UNHCR Representative in Chad, said, “The humanitarian needs are huge, and the situation is extremely challenging for our teams on the ground. But we remain committed to providing assistance to those who have lost everything and are still fleeing the violence.”
The situation in Sudan has been unstable since the ousting of former leader Omar al-Bashir in 2019. The country has been ruled by the TMC, a military-civilian transitional government, since then. However, tensions have been rising between the military and civilian factions, leading to the recent outbreak of violence.
The conflict has already claimed numerous lives and displaced tens of thousands of people across Sudan. The crisis has also drawn international attention and concern, with calls for an end to the violence and for urgent humanitarian assistance to those affected.
In conclusion, the Sudanese refugee crisis in Chad is a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict and the urgent need for humanitarian aid. The UNHCR and aid organizations are doing their best to provide assistance, but more resources are needed to address the growing crisis. All parties involved must work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict to prevent further suffering and displacement.
