Tuesday April 25, 2023

Islamic Relief is making contact with hospitals in Sudan amid a restive ceasefire. The country has been shaken by 11 days of violence after fighting began on April 15, forcing civilians to shelter indoors for their own safety.

As food and water supplies ran low, a 3-day ceasefire was announced on Monday night, however several international news outlets have reported sporadic gunfire today. There is concern that violence may intensify now Eid is over.

Islamic Relief is contacting hospitals to gauge their needs and offer supplies and support.

More than 400 people have been reported killed and thousands more injured since fighting broke out. However, the number of actual casualties is expected to be much higher as communication infrastructure has been severely impacted.

At least 5 humanitarian workers are among the dead and humanitarian aid offices have been attacked and looted.

It is hoped that the ceasefire will allow for humanitarian aid to get through to those in need, as well as for evacuations to continue safely.

Diplomats and foreign nationals have poured out of Sudan in recent days amid extremely dangerous conditions, while locals have taken their lives in their hands to flee the capital, Khartoum, for villages or neighbouring Egypt and Chad.

 

A desperate situation

Prior to the current ceasefire, fighting in residential streets trapped families in their homes and shuttered businesses. Power and water supplies have been severely disrupted and internet connectivity was almost non-existent over the weekend, according to Netblocks, an organisation monitoring internet censorship.

The fighting had surrounded hospitals, cutting the injured off from desperately needed medical care, with the World Health Organization reporting that at least 16 hospitals were unable to function due to attacks.

Hospitals need urgent support. Most hospitals in Khartoum are no longer functioning and several hospitals have been bombed and shot at. Others have run out of fuel and cannot function. Those still open are crowded with injured people and running out of medicine and supplies. They don’t even have enough bandages

Elsadig Elnour, Islamic Relief’s Country Director in Sudan

Reports of overflowing sewage and water supplies contaminated by decomposing corpses have sparked concerns about unmanageable disease outbreaks.

Almost 16 million people in Sudan were in need of humanitarian aid even before the fighting began.

 

Unwavering support

Islamic Relief has suspended our work in Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan for the safety of our staff and the communities we serve.

We have around 270 staff in Sudan, the vast majority of whom are Sudanese, and have been sheltering with their families during this crisis.

We also have 4 international staff based in Sudan – 3 remain in Khartoum, while a Darfur-based colleague was evacuated to Chad over the weekend as part of a United Nations land evacuation.

Despite extremely challenging circumstances, we remain committed to supporting the people of Sudan, including our Sudanese colleagues.

We are calling on both sides to respect the ceasefire, ensure that civilians and aid workers are protected from violence and that humanitarian agencies can safely access people in need.

We are closely monitoring the situation and gearing up to support hospitals and provide essential aid as soon as it is safe to do so.

Islamic Relief has worked in Sudan for nearly 40 years, and remains by the sides of families caught up in the violence. Please support our life-saving work: donate to our Sudan Emergency Appeal now.

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