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Kufra Response Situation Report #9, October 9, 2024

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FAST FACTS

  • Since the onset of the conflict in Sudan in April 2023, nearly 11 million people have been displaced, with more than 2 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries and 97,000 arriving in Libya.
  • The Ministry of Health in Kufra, Libya, reports that approximately 86,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived in Kufra city, raising alarm about a humanitarian crisis if immediate assistance is not given.
  • Immediate support is crucial to provide health and mental health services, food, shelter and essential household items for those displaced.

OUR FOOTPRINT

  • International Medical Corps was the first international humanitarian organization in Libya when the conflict began in 2011, and has since been providing critical health, nutrition, protection, mental health and psychosocial support, and water, sanitation and hygiene services.

OUR RESPONSE

  • In Kufra, our medical team has pinpointed 14 locations among Sudanese refugee communities with pressing needs, and has offered health consultations at each location. So far, our team has provided 7,349 consultations and distributed medical supplies and consumables.

Since the conflict in Sudan began in mid-April 2023, almost 11 million people have been displaced, with more than 2 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries. A significant portion of displaced Sudanese has settled in Kufra, a remote and sparsely populated region in southeast eastern Libya. Recent updates from Libya's national health authorities estimate that approximately 86,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived in the city—a figure that accounts only for people over the age of 18, as registration is based on health certificates issued by the Ministry of Health upon their arrival.

The movement of Sudanese refugees remains dynamic, with daily displacement from Kufra to several cities in the eastern and western regions. Living conditions in Kufra are worsening due to the increasing number of new arrivals and the further deterioration of the already-poor infrastructure in the informal settlements where refugees reside. Many urgent needs persist, including health, food, livelihoods, protection, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. Women and girls' access to essential services in informal shelters remains challenging, with inadequate living conditions exacerbating protection risks. Moreover, there is an increasing need for personal and menstrual hygiene supplies, the lack of which undermines the health, dignity and safety of displaced Sudanese women and girls in Kufra.

Recently, many of these families have relocated to the city of Misrata. International Medical Corps team is closely monitoring the situation, in coordination with community leaders from the Sudanese community and the representative of the Sudanese embassy in Misrata, who reported that since the outbreak of the conflict, more than 1,000 families—totaling approximately 5,000 men, women and children—have arrived in the city. The registration of these families, conducted by the Sudanese Community Management in Misrata, shows an average of 10 new families arriving from Kufra each day. The majority of these families are living in challenging conditions, with many individuals suffering from chronic health issues and psychological distress, the latter of which is particularly an issue for children.