Sudan: Despite ceasefire no scale-up of humanitarian relief

Clashes between rival military factions continued overnight in parts of Sudan's capital, on the second full day of a week-long ceasefire designed to allow for the delivery of aid and hopefully lay the ground for a more lasting truce.

By Linda Bordoni

The United Nations says that the number of people requiring aid within Sudan has jumped to 25 million, that’s more than half the population.

Since the war between the government’s military forces and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted on April 15, more than 300,000 people have fled Sudan to neighbouring countries, some of which are similarly impoverished and have a history of internal conflict.

Millions more are displaced within Sudanese territory and lack everything.

The UN refugee agency said donor contributions to the refugee response remain scarse and funds are urgently needed to support countries hosting refugees.

Ceasefire deal

The ceasefire deal reached in Jeddah and monitored by Saudi Arabia and the United States as well as the warring parties, comes after five weeks of intensive warfare in the capital Khartoum and outbursts of violence in other areas of the country, including the western region of Darfur.

And although the deal has reportedly brought a relative lull in fighting in Khartoum, there has so far been little sign of a rapid scale-up in much-needed humanitarian relief.

Aid workers said that many of the supplies and staff arriving at Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast have been awaiting security permits and guarantees as residents are struggling to survive as they face prolonged water and power cuts, a collapse of health services and widespread lawlessness and looting. (Source Reuters)

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