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Sudan + 4 more

Protection Brief Darfur Region, October 2023

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Key Trends & Figures

Over 470,250 people sought refuge from the conflict in countries neighbouring Darfur. Since the outbreak of conflict on 15 April 2023, 1,086,510 people have fled Sudan to other countries in the region. Of this number, over 40% have fled to countries neighbouring Darfur and are likely to be predominately displaced from the Darfur States.
Chad has received 420,834 refugees from Sudan, the largest refugee caseload of any neighbouring state. In addition, 18,545 people have sought safety in the Central African Republic (CAR). While the majority are Sudanese refugees (13,844), the figure also includes 4,701 CAR refugees compelled to return under adverse conditions. A further 30,250 Sudanese nationals have fled to South Sudan, predominately via Kosti in White Nile State, including people from Darfur who were initially displaced internally. Finally, 4,179 people have fled north to Libya.

1.7 million newly displaced people sheltering in Darfur. Prior to the outbreak of conflict, the Darfur States already had a combined population of about 3,095,246 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 185,174 refugees mainly from South Sudan, but also from CAR and Chad. Since the conflict erupted, many IDPs (and some refugees) have been re-displaced from camps and gathering sites while others have been newly displaced from their homes. Initially, the population of those displaced due to the current conflict was largest in West Darfur, where gathering sites that had hosted over 80,000 IDPs in El Geneina were razed to the ground over April and May. The IDP population in West Darfur peaked in mid-June 2023 at an estimated 301,055 people.
The killing of the Governor of West Darfur on 14 June precipitated a large-scale outflux of people from West Darfur into Chad4 resulting in the number of internally displaced within the State dropping significantly. In parallel, the number of IDPs across East, South, North and Central Darfur has continued to rise unabated as armed clashes and other forms of insecurity have continued. The IDP population is now largest in the relatively stable State of East Darfur, which hosts over 500,000 IDPs including an estimated 317,870 people displaced from Khartoum and 127,620 people displaced from South Darfur, as well as people from other areas. The overall number of IDPs is expected to grow, with ongoing reports of movements from Nyala and Zalingei into other parts of Darfur, while at the same time small-scale return movements are noted (e.g., back to Tawila in North Darfur).

So far, UNHCR has seen secondary displacements of refugees both within and from outside Darfur States, specifically from Khartoum, Nyala, West Kordofan and East Darfur to Al Lait locality in North Darfur totalling over 4,700 individuals to date. In East Darfur, a total of 1,763 households or 7,262 individuals (majority from Khartoum with 4,814 individuals) have been reported. In South Darfur due to the evolving security situation in Nyala town, urban refugees (the majority from CAR) have remotely reached out to UNHCR, reporting movements of refugees from Nyala town to safer areas in El Obeid, Kosti, Ed Daein, Madani and Port Sudan.

High number of civilians killed and injured across Darfur. While the true figure of civilians killed and injured is unknown, also due to access limitations for protection partners, an analysis of trends over time shows a significant spike in fatalities across Darfur5 since the start of the conflict on April 15, as compared to period before. Reports received by the Protection Sector in Darfur suggest that over 3,900 persons may have been killed and over 8,400 injured between 15 April and the end of August 2023. Reports indicate that a number of those killed were targeted based on ethnicity or other affiliation.

At least 29 cities, towns and villages fully or partially destroyed across Darfur. A recurring characteristic of the fighting tin Darfur, both prior to and since 15 April, is the deliberate destruction of civilian residential areas. Destruction is accomplished through a combination of extensive looting, including even the doors and window frames from buildings, followed by burning of the remaining structures. West and South Darfur States have been particularly severely affected, with 13 locations in West Darfur and nine locations in South Darfur fully or partially destroyed. North Darfur and Central Darfur appear to have been less impacted to date, with five and two locations respectively reported to have been fully or partially destroyed.

Widespread destruction, damage, looting and/or occupation of public buildings, essential service provision facilities and other structures relied upon by the civilian population. Access constraints and telecommunications breakdowns have inhibited consistent reporting, and the data provided below is far from comprehensive; however, the 139 civilian objects known to have been destroyed, damaged, looted or occupied across Darfur to date provide an indication of the impacts of the widespread conflict on the civilian population.