Page 2 - South Sudan

110 mn forcibly displaced as Sudan, Ukraine wars add to refugee crisis: UN

Some 110 million people have had to flee their homes because of conflict, persecution, or human rights violations, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees says. The war in Sudan, which has displaced nearly 2 million people since April, is but the latest in a long list of crises that has led to the record-breaking figure. It's quite an indictment on the state of our world, Filippo Grandi, who leads the U.N. refugee agency, told reporters in Geneva ahead of the publication Wednesday of UNHCR's Global Trends Report for 2022. Last year alone, an additional 19 million people were forcibly displaced including more than 11 million who fled Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in what became the fastest and largest displacement of people since World War II. We are constantly confronted with emergencies, Grandi said. Last year the agency recorded 35 emergencies, three to four times more than in previous years. Very few make your headlines, Grandi added, arguing that the war in Sudan fell

Operation Kaveri: 362 Indian evacuees from Jeddah leave for Bengaluru

About 31 tribals (Hakki Pikki) from Karnataka were stranded in the African country amid the violence between Sudan's military and the country's main paramilitary force

Indian nationals evacuated from Sudan says 'fighting was intense'

Narrating his experience, one of the Indian nationals evacuated from Sudan told ANI, "The fight was intense. We were struggling for food. The scenario continued for 2-3 days"

UN fears more 'displacement' from Sudan despite tenuous cease-fire

The UN refugee agency warned Tuesday of further displacement of people from Sudan after thousands streamed into neighbouring Chad and South Sudan despite a tenuous cease-fire between the two warring Sudanese generals battling for control of the country. The fighting has plunged Sudan into chaos, pushing the already heavily aid-dependent African nation to the brink of collapse. Since the clashes erupted on April 15, at least 20,000 Sudanese have fled into Chad and some 4,000 South Sudanese refugees who had been living in Sudan have returned to their home country, UNHCR spokeswoman Olga Sarrado said Tuesday. The figures could rise, she cautioned. Sarrado did not have figures for the five other countries neighbouring Sudan, but UNHCR has cited unspecified numbers of those fleeing Sudan arriving in Egypt. The fighting looks set to trigger further displacement both within and outside the country, she said, speaking at a UN briefing in Geneva. The UNHCR was scaling up its operations,

Operation Kaveri: 1st batch of stranded Indians leaves Sudan in naval ship

The first batch of Indians stranded in violence-hit Sudan left the country onboard India's naval ship INS Sumedha as part of the evacuation mission 'Operation Kaveri'. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said 278 people onboard the ship departed Port Sudan for the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah. "First batch of stranded Indians leave Sudan under #OperationKaveri. INS Sumedha with 278 people onboard departs Port Sudan for Jeddah," Bagchi tweeted. India on Monday launched 'Operation Kaveri' to bring back its nationals from Sudan that has been witnessing fierce fighting following a power struggle between the regular army and a paramilitary force. On Sunday, India said it has positioned two transport aircraft of the IAF in Jeddah and naval ship INS Sumedha at Port Sudan as part of its contingency plans to evacuate the stranded Indians. The government had on Friday said it was focusing on the safety of over 3,000 Indian citizens currently located throughout Sudan. The

UK PM commences evacuation of British nationals from strife-torn Sudan

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said his government has commenced a large-scale evacuation effort to help British nationals leave strife-torn Sudan from Tuesday. UK military flights are due to depart from an airfield outside the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, supported by senior diplomats from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Flights will be open to those with British passports and priority will be given to family groups with children and/or the elderly or individuals with medical conditions. "The government has begun a large-scale evacuation of British passport holders from Sudan on RAF flights. Priority will be given to the most vulnerable, including families with children and the elderly, Sunak said on Twitter. "I pay tribute to the British Armed Forces, diplomats and Border Force staff carrying out this complex operation. The UK will continue to work to end the bloodshed in Sudan and support a democratic government, he said. At this stage, the FCDO has sa

PM Narendra Modi reviews security situation in violence-hit Sudan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a high-level meeting on Friday to review the situation concerning Indians in violence-hit Sudan, government sources said on Friday. India on Thursday said the situation in Sudan is "very tense" and is focusing on ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian community, including working on contingency plans and possible evacuation. The conflict is a direct result of a vicious power struggle within the country's military leadership. The clashes are between Sudan's regular army and a paramilitary force called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Army vs paramilitary: A common person's guide to the crisis in Sudan

Sudanese people are running out of food, fuel and other vital supplies, and the healthcare system is in danger of collapse. But what's happening in Sudan? Here's an easy guide

President promises support to South Sudan in ongoing political process

Emphasising that South Sudan can benefit from the Indian experience in Parliamentary democracy, including the drafting of a new constitution, President Droupadi Murmu Wednesday said India will extend full support in the process. Welcoming a parliamentary delegation from South Sudan, led by the Speaker of the Transitional National Assembly Jemma Nunu Kumba, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Murmu said India is proud to be a major troop contributor to the UN Peacekeeping Missions in South Sudan. "The President said that South Sudan can benefit from India's experiences in parliamentary democracy in its ongoing political process, including the drafting of a new Constitution. She further said that India would extend its full support to South Sudan in this process," a statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan said. Underlining the cordial and friendly relations between India and South Sudan, Murmu said apart from peace missions, Indian soldiers are playing an important humanitarian role and contributing

Tramadol tablets worth Rs 21 cr in int'l market seized at Mumbai airport

These contraband drugs worth US 2.6 million or over Rs 21 Crores in international illicit market were seized, the officials added

UN condemns clashes in South Sudan after 27 killed, probe to be launched

This violence is unacceptable and was in sharp contrast to the message of the Ecumenical Peace Pilgrimage to South Sudan, which called for peace and reconciliation, Haysom said in a statement

India supports peace process and capacity building in South Sudan

India on Tuesday supported the peace process and capacity building in South Sudan in the journey for peace.Pratik Mathur, Counsellor at India's Permanent Mission to United Nations reiterated India's strong support via UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)."At @UNPeacebuilding Commission's meeting on South Sudan, Counsellor @PratikMathur1 expressed India's strong support via @unmissmedia (#India provides 2400+ peacekeepers) & bilaterally to support peace process & capacity building in #SouthSudan in the journey for peace," tweeted Mathur.Recently, India deployed an all-woman platoon of peacekeepers as part of the Indian Battalion to the United Nations Interim Security Force in Abyei (on the border between South Sudan and Sudan).The Abyei Area is a border area between South Sudan and Sudan that has been granted "special administrative status" by the 2004 Protocol on the Resolution of the Abyei Conflict (Abyei Protocol) in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the ..

India to deploy single largest platoon of women peacekeepers in Abyei

This is India's largest single unit of women peacekeepers in a UN Mission since it deployed the first-ever all-women's contingent in Liberia in 2007

UN, int'l partners concerned about escalating violence in South Sudan

The partners said the escalating ongoing violence had resulted in the loss of lives amid reports of the alleged use of heavy weaponry

South Sudan declares measles outbreak; reports 2,471 cases, 31 deaths

'South Sudan has witnessed repeated outbreaks of measles since 2021 primarily due to the interrupted routine immunisation services'

UN warns 500,000 more people will need humanitarian aid in South Sudan

Some 9.4 million people in South Sudan will need humanitarian assistance and protection services next year, half a million more than the current number, the United Nations said in a report Friday. According to the 2023 South Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) report, more people will face food insecurity in 2023. Currently, nearly a third of 12.4 million people living in South Sudan are facing severe food insecurity. Humanitarian conditions have been worsened by endemic violence, conflict, access constraints, operational interference, public health challenges and climate change effects such as flooding and drought, the report said. The need for assistance will be greatest in counties in the Upper Nile and Western Equatoria States that have been facing conflict. Something has to change in South Sudan because the number of people in need continues to rise every year and the resources continue to decrease, said Sara Beysolow Nyanti, the Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, in

Record flooding hits two-thirds of South Sudan: UN Refugee Agency

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said that record flooding has hit two-thirds of South Sudan, affecting over 900,000 people.

WFP seeks access to help conflict-affected populations in South Sudan

WFP said it has been forced to suspend relief operations as a result of the deteriorating security situation in parts of two states

Thousands flee deadly violence in South Sudan's Upper Nile state: UN

Deadly fighting between armed groups in South Sudan's Upper Nile state has prompted thousands to flee from their homes and triggered violence in displacement camps, a UN spokesman said.

Fleeing civilians drown amid new attacks in South Sudan, hundreds dead: UN

Frantic civilians are drowning as they flee a new eruption in fighting in South Sudan and perhaps hundreds have died in the attacks, the United Nations said on Thursday. Initial reports describe unimaginable scenes of Adidiang (town) set ablaze, humanitarian structures established as recent as two weeks ago destroyed and civilians fleeing the fighting by canoes and boats, leading to several people drowning, the UN peacekeeping mission said in a statement. South Sudan has struggled with violence between armed groups in the years since civil war ended in 2018. Thousands of people have been displaced since mid-August by fighting in and around the town of Tonga in Upper Nile state. On Wednesday, fighting broke out near Adidiang, where thousands of displaced people had taken refuge. According to unconfirmed reports nearly 300 people have been killed in the attacks, the UN said. This kind of violence, in an area hosting displaced civilians, is unconscionable, said the UN humanitarian ..