UN warns of funding shortage as Sudan faces 'catastrophic' humanitarian crisis
Fighting between rival generals continued in Sudan on Tuesday despite the latest truce. The United Nations says more than 430,000 people have fled their homes due to the violence that broke out mid April. The agency also warned of a "catastrophic" humanitarian crisis with funding falling $1.5bn (€1.3 billion) short of targets.
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Since 15 April, tensions have erupted into armed exchanges between regular army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy turned rival, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Hundreds have been killed and thousands wounded as air strikes and artillery exchanges have gripped areas around Khartoum, sparking the exodus of thousands of Sudanese.
Many more cannot afford the arduous journey to Sudan's borders, and have been forced to hole up inside the city of five million people with dwindling supplies of food, water and electricity.
"We are hearing some sporadic gunfire, the roaring of a warplane and the anti-aircraft fire at it," said one resident of south Khartoum.
'Full-blown catastrophe'
In a Monday briefing, the top UN aid official in Sudan, Abdou Dieng, warned that the situation was turning into "a full-blown catastrophe".
Kenyan President William Ruto said the conflict had reached "catastrophic levels" with the warring generals declining "to heed the calls by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union and the international community to cease fire".
In a virtual meeting with senior UN officials, Ruto said it was imperative to find ways to provide humanitarian relief "with or without a ceasefire".
Burhan and Daglo, who fell out after carrying out a 2021 military coup which derailed Sudan's transition to elective civilian rule, have flouted multiple ceasefires, the latest a 72-hour extension agreed late on Sunday.
US, Saudi mediation
UN head of mission Volker Perthes said discussions involving Saudi and US mediators were underway with the rival generals to firm up a ceasefire.
The two sides "told us that they are ready to start talks on technical level over a ceasefire," Perthes told Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television in an interview released on Tuesday.
Foreign governments have scrambled to evacuate their citizens. Over the past 10 days, thousands of foreigners have been brought to safety by air or sea in operations that are now winding down.
In need of funding
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the UN said its 2023 aid appeal for Sudan was $1.5 billion short.
Top UN humanitarian official Martin Griffiths arrived in Nairobi on Monday on a mission to find ways to bring relief to the millions of civilians trapped inside Sudan.
Sudan's turmoil has seen hospitals shelled, humanitarian facilities looted and foreign aid groups forced to suspend most of their operations.
At least 528 people have been killed and some 4,600 wounded in the violence, according to the health ministry.
The UN refugee agency said that around 330,000 people had been internally displaced and more than 100,000 refugees were estimated to have fled Sudan to neighbouring countries.
"Over 100,000 refugees are estimated to be among those who have now fled Sudan to neighbouring countries, including Sudanese refugees, South Sudanese returning home prematurely, and others who were themselves refugees in Sudan," UNHCR spokeswoman Olga Sarrado told reporters in Geneva.
The agency said it was bracing for the "possibility that over 800,000 people may flee".
(with AFP)
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