Sudan has been witnessing a critical conflict since April 15, 2023, with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) struggling for power. This situation and the violence arising from it are deeply impacting people’s lives. In fact, over 8.5 million Sudanese people have tried to escape the violence, with 1.8 million succeeding in leaving the country.
However, due to its geographical position, Sudan is an entry point and destination for people fleeing conflicts, violence, and ethnic cleansing in neighboring African countries. Among them are over 40,000 Ethiopian refugees, who left their country during the conflict against Ethiopia from November 2020 to November 2022, now located in Gadaref state, while around 100,000 Eritrean refugees are hosted in Kassala state.
In addition to the absence of a protection and evacuation strategy, there are concerns about safety and the lack of humanitarian support for these individuals. Additionally, refugees are at risk of targeted attacks as well as mass arrests. While escaping seems difficult, returning to their home countries is complex as well. Despite the committee formed by the Ethiopian authorities, travel permits issued by Sudan are missing.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) calls on the international community to support the refugees, to move them from the critical and unsafe context in which they are living.
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To read more, please visit:
- https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/10/refugees-eastern-sudan-risk
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/11/why-did-war-break-out-in-sudan-a-year-ago-where-does-it-currently-stand
- https://www.cmi.no/publications/8898-nowhere-to-run-the-dilemmas-of-eritrean-refugees-in-war-wrecked-sudan
