News Center- A year on, the war in Sudan continues to rage, with the country and its neighbours experiencing one of the largest and most challenging humanitarian and displacement crises in the world, Olga Sarrado Global Spokesperson at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a briefing on Tuesday.

‘The number of Sudanese forced to flee has now surpassed 8.5 million people’

The number of Sudanese forced to flee has now surpassed 8.5 million people, with 1.8 million of them having crossed borders, she added.

“The ongoing conflict has shattered people’s lives, filling them with fear and loss. Attacks on civilians, and conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence continue unabated, in violation of international humanitarian and human rights law. Sudan has experienced the almost complete destruction of its urban middle class: architects, doctors, teachers, nurses, engineers, and students have lost everything.”

‘Thousands are crossing borders daily’

“While the war started one year ago, thousands are crossing borders daily as if the emergency had started yesterday,” Olga Sarrado said. “In South Sudan, on average over 1,800 people are still arriving every day, increasing pressure on overstretched infrastructure and exacerbating the vast humanitarian needs. The country has received the most people from Sudan, nearly 640,000 people, many of them South Sudanese returning after many years.”

More than 13,000 civilians killed

More than 13,000 civilians have been killed and some 8 million people have been forced to flee their homes since conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) started in Sudan on April 15, 2023, according to the United Nations.