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UNHCR External Update: Central African Republic (CAR) - Sudan Situation (12 - 18 January 2025)

Attachments

Highlights

▪ While the overall security situation in Sudanese refugee-hosting areas such as Vakaga, BaminguiBangoran, Haute Kotto, Ouaka, Mbomou, and Haute Mbomou remained calm during the reporting week, risks persist due to the presence of armed groups. On 17 January, an exchange of fire between armed bandits and Sudanese poachers near Birao resulted in the death of a refugee motorbike taxi driver and injuries to three village residents. This incident highlights ongoing security threats from armed groups and roadblocks in the area.

Population Movements and Registration

During the reporting week, 737 new Sudanese refugees (261 families) arrived in Birao, Vakaga prefecture, a further increase from the 519 new refugee arrivals the previous week. This figure is nearly three times the average weekly arrivals recorded in December 2024, attributed to intensified airstrikes in Nyala, Darfur, and improved road conditions with the onset of the dry season. The National Commission for Refugees (CNR) and UNHCR conducted biometric registration for 531 individuals from 189 families in Korsi during the reporting week. Of the registered individuals, 59 per cent are women and girls, and 41 per cent are men and boys. Additionally, 158 persons with specific needs were identified, including unaccompanied and separated children, women at risk, older persons, people with disabilities, and single parents. The total number of registered individuals in Korsi, since the start of the conflict in 2023, now stands at 18,176 (7,663 families). In Vakaga, 165 newly arrived Sudanese refugees from Nyala, Rehed, and Al Fashir were registered by CNR at the Am-Dafock border during the same period.