Heavy fighting in Sudan's Blue Nile state, in the south of the country, has forced over 300,000 people from their homes, local authorities reported. The humanitarian crisis is escalating in a region already scarred by decades of instability.
Blue Nile, one of Sudan's resource-rich areas, has recently seen a surge in violence between government forces and armed opposition groups. According to the United Nations, the total number of internally displaced people across Sudan now exceeds 7 million, not counting hundreds of thousands who have fled to neighboring countries such as Chad, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.
Residents of towns and villages along Blue Nile's border describe chaos amid relentless airstrikes and shelling. Many have abandoned all possessions, walking for dozens of kilometers in search of safety. Aid organizations are struggling to reach the displaced due to insecurity and destroyed infrastructure.
Mohamed Ahmed, a resident from the affected area, shared: 'We had to leave when we heard gunfire. We couldn't take anything, just got the children out of harm’s way. Now we live in temporary tents, without enough food or clean water.'
The United Nations and humanitarian partners have appealed for over $2.6 billion in emergency aid for Sudan this year, but have raised less than 50%. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned last month that Sudan faces 'the world’s worst humanitarian disaster,' with millions homeless and facing famine.
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