UN concerned over rising humanitarian needs in Sudan

Khartoum, June 2 (IANS) The UN Sunday expressed concerns that the marked increase in humanitarian needs in Sudan is not being met with a sufficient level of humanitarian aid, putting at risk hundreds of thousands of affected people throughout the country.

“While there seems to be less international humanitarian funding available for Sudan due to emerging crises elsewhere in the region and other reasons, Sudan’s humanitarian needs are increasing,” Xinhua quoted Ali Al-Za’tari, UN Resident and Humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, as saying in a statement.

“In the first quarter of 2014 alone, close to 300,000 people in Darfur were displaced from their homes by violence,” he said, adding that “these people join the two million people in Darfur who are already living in camps and depend on international humanitarian aid to survive.”

He said the conflict in South Sudan has also driven some 80,000 civilians to take refuge in Sudan.

Sudan’s Darfur has been witnessing increasing violence due to continued clashes between government forces and armed groups areas near tribal clashes. Thousands of citizens have fled their homes to refugee camps.

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