On April 15, 2023, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into heavy clashes in Khartoum. The armed fighting is concentrated in urban centres, mostly affecting Khartoum and areas along the east-west corridor of Kassala to West Darfur.1 Violence continues to escalate despite the ceasefire that was announced on April 24, 2023. According to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), between April 15 and 27, 589 people have been killed and 4,599 have been injured due to the violence.
As of 6 May, 334,000 civilians are estimated have been displaced internally (a majority of whom are women and children), fleeing to safer areas within Sudan while 120,0000 have left Sudan with the majority seeking refuge in
Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and South Sudan. Vulnerable populations such as female-headed households, persons with disabilities, urban poor, pregnant and lactating
women, children, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) before this conflict are at a heightened risk.
Frontline organizations have begun providing initial reports that residential buildings, water, and energy infrastructure are damaged, some banks have closed while communications and internet connectivity have also been breached. Basic services are down, and civilians risk their lives to travel to more secure areas. Families are prioritising women and children for evacuations to safer places, leading to family separations, and exposing them
to higher risks of gender-based violence and trafficking en -route to safety. For persons with physical disability, this is particularly difficult is possible as there is limited support to help their mobility. Public and private
facilities have been looted including health centres and aid organizations as the situation gets dire.