Under a makeshift shelter, enduring the scorching midday sun, Nahma Mohammed recounts her arduous eight-day trek from Nyala, in Sudan’s Darfur region, to find refuge in Birao, Central African Republic.
Describing her harrowing journey, she mentions encountering thieves, armed individuals, and weapons at every turn, navigating a perilous path between life and death while cradling her youngest child.
Among the numerous new arrivals in Birao, seeking safety, Nahma waits in hopes of being registered, alongside over 22,000 residents of the Korsi Refugee camp and the 4.4 million Sudanese displaced across borders.
Three years following the eruption of conflict in Sudan in April 2023, the country grapples with what the United Nations deems the most severe displacement crisis globally, with over 11 million people uprooted from their homes.
The power struggle between Sudanese army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo has evolved into a multifaceted conflict, with the SAF controlling significant parts of the east and center, while RSF forces dominate regions like Darfur in the west.
Civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, has been targeted, and the increased use of drone warfare has escalated the danger faced by civilians in the war-torn regions.
Estimates by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) indicate approximately 33 million individuals require assistance, while global cuts in humanitarian and development funding have exacerbated the crisis. Official reports suggest a death toll of 40,000, a figure many believe to be an underestimate.
The influx of refugees has surged Birao’s population, with individuals traveling through unstable territories infested with RSF and local militia groups to reach the camp from the border point at Am Dafok.
As refugees arrive, they face a scarcity of resources in the impoverished Central African Republic, where nearly 70% of the population lives on less than $2.15 US per day.
Hikmah Hussain, a refugee who fled in 2023, vividly recalls the tragic incident that compelled her escape from Nyala, the loss of her sister due to a fatal airstrike.
Before her displacement, Hussain worked with the Sudanese Red Crescent in Darfur, witnessing the chaos and destruction wrought by the conflict.
Efforts to assist refugees have dwindled, with reports of reduced access to essential services like water, shelter, and protection due to funding cuts.
Despite the challenges, refugees like Hussain have emerged as community leaders, striving to address the gaps left by diminishing international aid through self-organized initiatives.
The prolonged conflict, sustained by external support and the exploitation of resources like gold, shows no signs of abating, leaving millions displaced and vulnerable to ongoing violence and deprivation.
