In brief
Thousands of Sudanese families have become refugees as civil war continues to engulf the nation, with escalating airstrikes leaving them desperate for safety and support.
The ongoing civil war in Sudan, which has entered its third year, has seen a surge in airstrikes targeting both military and civilian sites, prompting an urgent humanitarian crisis for those seeking refuge in neighboring Chad. **Victims of violence**, including ten-year-old Isah Abdallah Fadul, have suffered from indiscriminate bombings, as many refugees flock to makeshift medical clinics run by organizations like Doctors Without Borders, or MSF.The conflict has intensified since April 2023, with Sudan's military clashing with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (R.S.F.). In a recent U.N. report, it was noted that airstrikes intended for R.S.F. forces have struck civilian gatherings, causing significant casualties and worsening the already dire humanitarian conditions. "I am always afraid of the planes," said Kubrah Abdullah Dawood, a Sudanese refugee who witnessed her brother’s death from a drone strike.As the conflict in the capital of Khartoum shifts, the refugee influx has led MSF to expand healthcare services at border clinics in Chad. Survivors have reported a disturbing pattern: R.S.F. troops attack villages, followed closely by retaliatory airstrikes from the Sudanese military, leaving civilians trapped in the crossfire. The recent airstrike in North Darfur claimed at least 54 lives, adding to the grim tally of nearly 20,000 civilian deaths since the war's onset.Marathon efforts by aid organizations focus on providing urgent medical attention in refugee camps. As the situation deteriorates, experts warn that violence against civilians—including sexual violence linked to the conflict—is likely to rise in the aftermath of military advances. The need for humanitarian aid and security in the region has never been more critical as countless families escape the horrors of war in search of a semblance of normalcy across the border in Chad.
