The ongoing conflict in Sudan has exacerbated the humanitarian situation to catastrophic proportions, particularly for persons with disabilities, according to Humanity & Inclusion, an international NGO. The war, which commenced in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, has spurred a rapidly growing humanitarian crisis. In a recent statement, Humanity & Inclusion revealed that the situation of the most vulnerable has worsened amidst ongoing violence, the breakdown of basic services, and the threat of unexploded ordnance.
Approximately 11.6 million individuals have been displaced due to the conflict, and over 33 million require humanitarian assistance. However, by the end of January 2026, over three million people had returned home, including 700,000 who returned from abroad. Most of these returns were to states where violence had diminished, such as Khartoum, Blue Nile, and Gezira.
Humanity & Inclusion emphasized that about 4.6 million people, or roughly 16 percent of Sudan’s population, live with disabilities. In conflict-affected areas, this figure is expected to be significantly higher due to injuries, trauma, chronic health issues, and barriers to receiving care. The organization highlighted that people with disabilities face severe challenges in escaping violence, accessing aid, and protecting themselves from harm, often becoming the first to be abandoned and facing elevated risks of violence, abuse, discrimination, and exclusion.
The NGO also warned about explosive remnants of war posing a new and dangerous threat to millions of displaced individuals returning to their homes. These remnants, including antipersonnel mines, are found in areas of return and former front lines, contaminating homes, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and roads. This poses a constant threat to civilians and hinders access to essential services and livelihoods.
Source: aljazeera
Original author: Al Jazeera Staff
