Sudan conflict escalates refugee crisis in Ethiopia

Sudan's ongoing conflict broke out in April last year between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) — both of which have been accused of war crimes, such as indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas.

Over 50,000 Sudanese have sought refuge in Ethiopia, which is already hosting 1 million refugees from other crises in the region. While Ethiopia has welcomed the people from Sudan, the Horn of Africa nation is dealing with problems of its own.

In addition to widespread food insecurity, Ethiopia faces internal displacement, with 3.5 million Ethiopians uprooted by recent conflicts in its Tigray, Amhara and Oromia regions.

The ongoing insecurity has disrupted aid distribution, with rebel groups targeting humanitarian workers.

A refugee's journey 

September marks the end of Ethiopia's rainy season, and roads in the new Oura camp have turned into rivers of mud.

The facility — which is located near Asosa in Ethiopia's Benishangul Gumuz province and currently houses about 3,500 people — is expected to grow to more than 30,000 in the coming months.

Among those waiting for the rain to stop is a 32-year-old Sudanese woman, Treza Deng Chol, who huddles inside a shelter with her six children.

She fled the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, in 2023 after her husband was killed by a stray bullet during clashes between the RSF and SAF.

"I couldn't even bury him or hold a funeral. My neighbors collected money and suggested I flee the city with my children for our safety," she said.

Pregnant and in shock, she left with almost nothing for the dangerous journey.

Sudanese refugees face harsh reality

Though local communities and aid organizations have tried to help, Treza said food is insufficient, and they live in cramped, unsanitary conditions, especially during the rainy season. She even tried selling tea with the little she had, but it's not enough.

"I lost my phone while fleeing and haven't been in touch with those who helped me. I don't even know if they're still alive," she said.

She doubts she'll ever return to Sudan, adding, "I have no words to tell what happened, but I loved my husband very much and continue to love my country very much even though it is now destroyed."

Kurmuk, a key refugee entry point on Ethiopia's border, is dotted with dirty white tents amid wooden structures, forming a transit camp where initial reception and identification takes place.

Most refugees come from Sudan's southern Blue Nile province, but with the conflict spreading, some also arrive from Khartoum and Darfur.

In a private spot, 59-year-old Amza Hussein is on the phone and tries to get news about two missing family members.

"The Janjaweed looted near our home, so we fled," Hussein said, in reference to the militia group that was incorporated into the RSF in 2013. 

"My brother and another family member were beaten and captured and now we know nothing about them."

Other people have sent him pictures of injured friends and he fears the worst.

 

Fighting in Sudan 'feels impossible to stop'

Amza recently arrived with his wife and five children fleeing from Sudan's Sinnar state to Blue Nile by foot and then hiring a car to reach safety.

He served as a local politician until Sudan's 2021 coup that overthrew civilian Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdock and upended the country's democratic transition. He fled when the RSF approached, fearing he was a target.

Amza doubts he will ever return home.

"I have lived through other wars in Sudan, but this one feels impossible to stop. Too many rebels are fighting," he said, adding that the conflict does not seem to have a real reason.

"If there were, we'd have found peace. These are foreigners looting everything, and there's no dialogue with them."

Funding gaps hamper Ethiopia's refugee support

The biggest concern is funding. Humanitarian efforts are severely underfunded as reported by the UN and Ethiopian authorities. 

The UNHCR has funded half of what is needed thanks mainly to last April's donor intervention in Geneva, but the gap remains large resulting in refugees receiving less than 60% of recommended daily rations.

The Ethiopian Refugee & Returnee Service (RRS) has reported that the response is still only 25% funded.

"While the number of refugees and IDPs is increasing, the budget is falling," explained Abdul Fatah Hussein, RRS' operations manager in Asosa.

"Currently, refugees only receive food from WFP [World Food Program], but it is not enough. The camps are in remote areas far from Addis Ababa, and monthly food arrivals arrive late due to rains and insecurity."

Ethiopian authorities are doing what they can despite the country's economic struggles. The local currency has depreciated by more than 30% and annual inflation is at 23.3%. 

Edited by: Keith Walker