In scorching midday heat under a tarpaulin tent, Nahma Mohammed shares her harrowing eight-day journey from Nyala, Darfur, Sudan, to the safety of Birao, Central African Republic. Describing the ordeal as treacherous, she recalls encountering thieves, armed individuals, and pervasive weaponry along the way, navigating a thin line between life and death while cradling her youngest child.
Among the many recent arrivals awaiting registration in the dusty camp, Mohammed is part of a group exceeding 22,000 residents in the Korsi Refugee camp, adding to the 4.4 million Sudanese who have sought refuge beyond their country’s borders. Three years since the eruption of conflict in Sudan in April 2023, the nation finds itself embroiled in what the United Nations has labeled the most severe displacement crisis globally, with over 11 million people uprooted from their homes.
Initially sparked by a conflict between Sudanese army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the situation has since evolved into a multifaceted struggle. Presently, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) control significant portions of the east and center, while RSF forces dominate the western regions, particularly Darfur. The deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals, coupled with the escalating use of drone warfare, has created a perilous environment for civilians.
Reports from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) indicate an estimated 33 million individuals necessitate aid, with global reductions in humanitarian and development funding exacerbating the crisis. While the UN estimates the death toll at 40,000, many experts believe the actual figure could be significantly higher.
Birao has witnessed a surge in population due to the influx of refugees crossing the border. The journey from the border point at Am Dafok to the camp spans 65 kilometers through unstable terrain, marked by the presence of RSF and local armed militia.
Upon arrival in this secluded region, refugees find scarce resources, reflecting the impoverished state of the Central African Republic, where nearly seven out of 10 individuals subsist on less than $2.15 US per day. Hikmah Hussain, an early refugee from 2023, vividly recalls the trauma that compelled her to flee Nyala — the fatal injury of her sister during an aerial bombardment.
Formerly employed with the Sudanese Red Crescent in Darfur, Hussain recounts the chaotic early days of conflict, including the routine bombings and the desperate efforts to transport casualties to medical facilities. The chaos climaxed when RSF fighters commandeered their vehicle, forcing them to seek refuge in a hospital alongside other victims of airstrikes, ultimately prompting their escape amidst the mayhem.
At a water point in the camp, women queue with containers for limited potable water, highlighting the scarcity of essential supplies. Refugee testimonies reveal that aid availability has dwindled since the conflict’s onset. NGOs like Oxfam note a significant reduction in U.S. funding for refugee relief, coupled with declining support for Sudan’s humanitarian response efforts, as acute food insecurity affects over 21.2 million individuals.
Various civil society organizations have documented widespread atrocities, including sexual violence, gang rapes, and beheadings in Sudan. Despite these alarming reports, crucial services supporting survivors of gender-based violence in Birao, such as UNFPA-operated safe spaces, have shuttered due to funding constraints, raising concerns among aid workers about the enduring psychological impact of the conflict.
Gloria Ramazani from UNHCR’s office in the Central African Republic underscores the detrimental effects of budget cuts, emphasizing the dire consequences on refugee welfare. Ramazani underscores the challenges posed by Birao’s remote location, stressing the urgency of sustained support to mitigate hunger, disease, and gender-based violence risks.
Hussain’s emergence as a community leader among women in Birao mirrors a broader trend across the Sudanese displacement crisis, where refugees have mobilized to address critical gaps in aid delivery. However, these informal networks face jeopardy due to financial constraints plaguing the humanitarian and development sectors, with essential services like community kitchens faltering due to dwindling international backing.
As the conflict persists unabated, there is little indication of a resolution. Marie-Helene Verney, the UNHCR representative for Sudan, paints a complex picture, citing ongoing hostilities in Darfur, Blue Nile, and the Kordofan states, while some areas, like Khartoum, have reverted to government control. The escalating deployment of drone warfare has expanded the conflict’s scope and lethality, with over 1,000 documented strikes since 2023, and external entities like the United Arab Emirates allegedly fueling the regional tensions by arming conflicting factions.
In a poignant scene at Birao’s sole hospital, Taiba Ahmat Kamiss cradles her newborn, embodying
