South Sudan Seeks Humanitarian Aid from Russia for Sudanese Refugees
South Sudan’s Presidential Affairs Minister Barnabas Marial Benjamin said his country had asked Russia for humanitarian aid for refugees coming from Sudan, noting that support from the World Food Program was not enough.
Refugee Crisis in Sudan
“Our neighbor, the Republic of Sudan, is experiencing a serious crisis and internal conflict that is causing many humanitarian problems, as well as many deaths and migrants. As a result, we are hosting thousands of Sudanese refugees crossing the border into South Sudan,” Benjamin said.
Call for Humanitarian Assistance
The minister said that South Sudan needs humanitarian assistance in large quantities, indicating that the country would welcome any help from Russia.
Benjamin added: “We ask the Russian Federation to give us the opportunity to provide us with humanitarian aid in the form of wheat, grain, medicine and anything that can be provided to help these refugees, since the support provided by the World Food Program is insufficient.”
Continuing Conflict in Sudan
Since April 15 last year, violent and large-scale clashes have continued between Sudanese Army forces and the Rapid Support Forces in various parts of Sudan as both sides attempt to take control of vital headquarters, including the Republican Palace, the headquarters of the Sudanese High Command. Armed forces, operational support forces command, a number of military and civilian airports. Both sides of the conflict agreed to a ceasefire several times, but it was not respected.
Disagreements and Transition Period
Disagreements between the President of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, the commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, became public after the signing of the Framework Agreement establishing a transition period between the military component and the civilian component in December last year, which approved the withdrawal of the army from politics and the transfer of power to civilians.
Concerns of Disease Outbreaks and Displacement
The International Committee of the Red Cross said months of fighting in the country could lead to disease outbreaks and a deadly collapse of the health system. According to the UN International Organization for Migration, the number of internally displaced people in Sudan has exceeded seven million.
Source: RT