Chad bears brunt of Sudan conflict, UNOCHA reports
According to the latest findings from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Chad stands as the African nation most profoundly affected by the ongoing conflict in Sudan, with nearly half of Sudanese refugees seeking shelter within its borders.
Since the eruption of armed clashes in Sudan on April 15, 2023, a significant influx of Sudanese refugees and Chadian returnees from Darfur have been observed converging on more than 37 border entry points in eastern Chad in search of safety and refuge.
The conflict’s toll, as outlined by UNOCHA, has resulted in the displacement of over a million individuals across neighboring countries, with more than 686,000 individuals finding sanctuary in Chad, and thousands more arriving each week. Furthermore, concerns loom over the reintegration of some 139,932 Chadians residing in Sudan who have returned to their homeland without adequate means of subsistence, residing in various formal and informal camps across four provinces in eastern Chad.
This humanitarian crisis is exacerbated by widespread hunger affecting over 5 million children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers who have lost their livelihoods. Access to essential healthcare services within the camps is hindered by limited resources and personnel, further exacerbating the situation, UNOCHA emphasized. Moreover, outbreaks of dengue fever, measles, acute gastroenteritis, as well as suspected cases of yellow fever and cholera, further complicate the already dire circumstances in the affected provinces.
As of February 4, 2024, the report highlighted the registration of 4,566 new refugees in the four eastern provinces of Chad, bringing the total number of registered Sudanese refugees to 546,770. Notably, 53.9% of these refugees are concentrated in Adré, the epicenter of the crisis, alongside 139,932 Chadian returnees since the conflict’s onset. These displaced populations are dispersed across the Chadian provinces of Ouaddaï, Sila, Wadi-Fira, and Ennedi East.
Meanwhile, UNOCHA reported a total of 263 recorded deaths, including 157 malnourished children, 34 maternal deaths, 22 casualties, and 50 other fatalities. Alarmingly, more than 25 million individuals across Sudan, South Sudan, and Chad find themselves ensnared in a spiral of worsening food insecurity, according to the latest figures from the UN.
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