South Sudan: ICRC delivers assistance to communities fleeing the conflict in Sudan

  •  A group of Sudanese refugees gets off a truck upon arrival in Boro Medina, a small town in South Sudan with a population of about 5,000.
    A group of Sudanese refugees gets off a truck upon arrival in Boro Medina, a small town in South Sudan with a population of about 5,000.
    Due to the town's remote location and poor road conditions, access remains a challenge, particularly during the rainy season.
    Junior Ali/ICRC
  • A group of South Sudanese returnees arrives in Boro Medina.
    A group of South Sudanese returnees arrives in Boro Medina.
    Many of those escaping the conflict aren't lucky enough to secure transportation across the border; instead, they must embark on a long, perilous journey on foot from their homes in Sudan to South Sudan to ensure their safety.
    Junior Ali/ICRC
  • Osman, a refugee from Sudan, was separated from his wife and eleven sons when the conflict reached his home village in Nyala.
    Osman, a refugee from Sudan, was separated from his wife and eleven sons when the conflict reached his home village in Nyala.
    He only knows the whereabouts of few of them and fears that others may have been killed in the clashes that coincided with their separation. He hopes the violence will stop so that he can bring his family to where he has sought refuge.
    Junior Ali/ICRC
  • ICRC trucks loaded with humanitarian aid arrive in Boro Medina just before the distribution.
    ICRC trucks loaded with humanitarian aid arrive in Boro Medina just before the distribution.
    This emergency assistance will support families as they seek new sources of income and try to rebuild their lives.
    JuniorAli/ICRC
  • The ICRC and the South Sudan Red Cross society teams engaging with a group of people ahead of a distribution of humanitarian assistance.
    The ICRC and the South Sudan Red Cross society teams engaging with a group of people ahead of a distribution of humanitarian assistance.
    Essential household items were distributed to 2,300 households to alleviate some of their most urgent needs.
    Junior Ali/ICRC
  • A group of refugees and returnees receives food and other items.
    A group of refugees and returnees receives food and other items.
    Essential household items were distributed to 2,300 households to alleviate some of their most urgent needs.
    Junior Ali/ICRC
  • Women carry rations after the distribution.
    Women carry rations after the distribution.
    The arrival of tens of thousands of people in Boro Medina has brought additional stress on a community living with limited resources.
    Junior Ali/ICRC
  • Jamilah, a Sudanese mother of three carries a bag of 30 kilograms of flour.
    Jamilah, a Sudanese mother of three carries a bag of 30 kilograms of flour.
    The challenging conditions have compelled families to come up with makeshift solutions to ensure their survival.
    Junior Ali/ICRC
  • Ali, an elderly returnee, lost his two children and his wife along the way to South Sudan as they were fleeing the conflict in Sudan.
    Junior Ali/ICRC
  • In Boro Medina, the influx of refugees and returnees escaping the conflict in Sudan has heightened the challenge of accessing clean water.
    In Boro Medina, the influx of refugees and returnees escaping the conflict in Sudan has heightened the challenge of accessing clean water.
    The ICRC worked with trained community members to repair hand pumps. Together,. Together, they repaired eight broken hand pumps, ensuring access to clean water for over 8,000 people.
    Junior Ali/ICRC
13 June 2024

Since the conflict in Sudan started in April 2023, more than 650,000 people have fled to neighboring South Sudan. Tens of thousands of them have sought refuge in Boro Medina, a city in Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State. Forced to leave everything behind, their journey to safety was always marked by hardship, to reach an area where most resources and services are already limited.

The ICRC, together with the South Sudanese Red Cross Society has distributed food, seeds, tools, and essential household items to more than 45,000 Sudanese refugees, South Sudanese returnees and to the communities hosting them. We also helped improve access to clean water for thousands by repairing water facilities.