SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sudan Tribune - UNHCR calls for urgent support for Sudanese refugees in Chad

25/6/2024: Sudan Tribune - UNHCR calls for urgent support for Sudanese refugees in Chad

Sudan Tribune report that the United Nations refugee Agency is calling for urgent international support as the humanitarian crisis in eastern Chad reaches a critical point.

Since April 2023, the conflict in Sudan has reportedly forced over 600,000 refugees and 180,000 Chadian returnees to flee into Chad, with more than 115,000 arriving since the start of 2024.

A third of new arrivals remain in dire conditions along the border, with Adre town, originally home to 40,000 people, struggling to accommodate a six fold population increase. Overcrowded and unsanitary conditions in Adre led to a severe health crisis, with over 1,200 cases of Hepatitis E reported, including three fatalities. The impending rainy season threatens to exacerbate this crisis, potentially leading to outbreaks of waterborne diseases and impeding humanitarian access. 

The potential for further displacement remains high amid fighting in Al-Fashir, widespread looting and burning of villages, a looming famine in Sudan.