IOM: 60,000 Newly Displaced in Blue Nile, Most Living in Open Areas

Damazin – Sudanhorizon

The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday that 72% of newly displaced people in Sudan’s Blue Nile Region are living in informal gathering sites and open areas, while the total number of newly displaced persons has risen to nearly 60,000.

In a report, the organization stated that “72% of individuals recently displaced in the Blue Nile Region have sought refuge in informal gathering sites, while others are staying with host families or are being accommodated in schools and other public buildings.”

The report indicated that the number of newly displaced people in Blue Nile who have fled their homes since the escalation of conflict in January has reached 59,742 individuals, representing 11,956 households.

The organization noted that people living in informal gathering sites lack adequate protection and access to water sources and healthcare facilities. This situation exposes women and girls to heightened risks of gender-based violence and exploitation, particularly as they constitute 53% of the displaced population.

According to the report, the newly displaced are spread across seven localities in Blue Nile State. Damazin hosts the largest number with 31,035 displaced persons, followed by Bau with 15,917, Qeisan with 6,335, Al-Roseires with 4,935, Al-Tadamon with 985, Wad Al-Mahi with 400, and Kurmuk with 135 displaced persons.

The report further stated that 57% of the displaced moved to rural areas within the region, while 43% settled in urban areas, mainly in Damazin and Al-Roseires.

Blue Nile Region currently hosts 371,148 displaced persons, with the largest concentration located in Damazin. The region has also received 210,982 returnees, including 161,179 people who returned from outside Sudan.

The report added that women and girls account for 53% of the newly displaced population in Blue Nile. In terms of age distribution, 24% are between 6 and 17 years old, 53% are between 18 and 59 years old, while children under the age of six represent 12% of the displaced population.

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