Highlights:
· Heavy fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces continues despite additional ceasefires being announced.
· At least 550 people have been killed and over 4,900 injured as of May 1st.
· The UN has requested for the safe movement of humanitarian supplies and personnel. They have also asked for parties to stop looting humanitarian supplies.
· Fighting between the parties has severely restricted humanitarian access. After the targeting of aid workers and facilities, humanitarian organizations have suspended their operations in most parts of Darfur.
· Healthcare and Public Health Update:
o The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 28 attacks on health care:
ü The types of attacks include looting, obstruction of access to health care, violent attacks using weapons, and the forced occupation of facilities.
ü Six ambulances and 19 hospitals have been damaged.
ü 19 hospitals have been evacuated.
ü 61 hospitals are out of service in Khartoum.
o On May 5th, 30 metric tons of trauma and emergency surgical supplies arrived in Port Sudan. Pending security and access clearances, the supplies will be distributed to 13 health facilities across the country to assist in emergency surgical procedures and trauma care to treat 165,000 patients and re-establish emergency health care services.
· Displacement Update:
o Over 334,000 people are estimated to have now been internally displaced, 72% of whom are in West and South Darfur states.
o The UN Refugee Agency is preparing for 800,000 people fleeing to neighboring countries.
· Food Security Update:
o On May 1st, the World Food Programme (WFP) lifted the temporary suspension of operations in Sudan. Food distribution resumed in eastern Sudan on May 3rd.
o The number of acutely food insecure people in Sudan is expected to increase by 2 to 2.5 million in the next 3 to 6 months, if the conflict continues. The highest increase in food insecurity is expected in West Darfur, West Kordofan, Blue Nile, Red Sea, and North Darfur.
· Atrocity Crimes Update:
o In West Darfur the conflict has triggered inter-communal violence. Organizations with presence in West Darfur report the use of heavy weapons and the deliberate targeting of civilians based on their ethnicity.
o Clashes between Arab communities and the non-Arab Massalit have resulted in at least 191 people killed according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.
o Hospitals, markets, banks, humanitarian infrastructure, and internal displacement camps have reportedly been looted, attacked, and burned to the ground.
Sources:
· OCHA Situation Report, May 6
· ACAPS Briefing note - Sudan: Humanitarian access snapshot (4 May 2023)
· Sudan Situation - UNHCR External Update #4 - 2 May 2023
· Conflict in Sudan: Food Security Analysis and Forecast (May 2023)
· World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office Twitter Page
· Center for Disaster Philanthropy Twitter Page
· Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect Twitter Page
Resources
Center for Disaster Philanthropy, Sudan Humanitarian Crisis
Joint Letter to President Biden on US Policy toward Sudan
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