Sudan: Massive Displacement in Sudan's South Kordofan

South Kordofan — Thousands of civilians continue to be affected by renewed hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) in the eastern part of South Kordofan.

This has resulted in two patterns of civilian displacement, the latest humanitarian bulletin of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

Some people from SPLM-N-controlled areas have moved to government-controlled areas of South Kordofan. Reports from SPLM-N, however, indicate that more newly displaced remain within SPLM-N held areas. The combined number of people displaced both to government-controlled and areas controlled by the SPLM-N, is estimated at over 100,000 people. This includes 13,500 newly displaced who fled to government controlled-areas and about 90,000 newly displaced in SPLM-N areas.

Various reports indicate that while in the past many civilians displaced from SPLM-N areas would seek shelter in Yida in South Sudan (where 81,500 refugees from South Kordofan are sheltering), this does not seem to be the case anymore due to the armed conflict in South Sudan's Unity State.

In the government-controlled areas, humanitarian organisations are providing the newly displaced with assistance, including food, non-food relief supplies, access to health, and other services.

UN agencies do not have access to areas under the control of the SPLM-N, and therefore are unable to verify the scope of civilian displacement, and cannot reach the affected people with emergency assistance.

Government-controlled areas

The cumulative number of people who fled fighting, and sought shelter in government-controlled areas in South Kordofan over the past three weeks stands at an estimated 13,500 people, mainly women and children, according to the Sudanese Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Over the past week, HAC and IOM reported that an estimated 2,350 newly displaced from SPLM-N controlled areas arrived this week to Um Baraka village near Abu Kershola town in the northern part of South Kordofan. In addition, some 11,000 people arrived in Rashad town from SPLM-N areas, and another 125 people in Delami town.