UN reports mass exodus of people escaping violence in Sudan's al Jazira safe-haven

The United Nations has reported that a staggering 250,000 individuals have been displaced by the ongoing conflict in a state in Sudan. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have made their way into the city of Wad Madani, located in al Jazira state, which was previously considered a safe haven for those escaping the civil war. Both Wad Madani and Khartoum have been accommodating large numbers of people seeking refuge from the violence for several months. Aid workers have witnessed people in Wad Madani scattering in different directions as they desperately search for safety. Will Carter, the country director for Sudan at the Norwegian Refugee Council, stated that people are fleeing with minimal possessions and have nowhere to go. A doctor who is leaving Wad Madani with his family expressed their struggle to find a secure place to settle. Residents of the city have reported that the RSF, who are fighting against the army, have targeted a hospital and seized control of a military base. Concerns have been raised globally about the spreading war, which started in April. The United States State Department recently urged the RSF to halt their advance on Wad Madani, warning that their actions contradict their supposed mission of protecting Sudanese civilians. Additionally, there has been a resurgence of violence in the city of Nyala in Sudan's western Darfur region. The RSF and the army had previously shared power with civilians after the overthrow of former dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019. However, they joined forces to carry out a coup in 2021. The conflict between the two sides ignited in April due to a disagreement regarding an internationally supported political transition plan. This ongoing war has resulted in over seven million people being displaced, Khartoum being devastated, a humanitarian crisis unfolding, and ethnically motivated killings occurring in Darfur.