Sudan’s Forgotten Crisis: Over 500 Flee to Spain as 9 Million Displaced and 30 Million Need Aid

Sudan’s Forgotten Crisis: Over 500 Flee to Spain as 9 Million Displaced and 30 Million Need Aid

Sudan’s civil war, now in its third year, has become the world’s worst humanitarian disaster, forcing millions to flee and leaving ancient heritage sites exposed to looters and shelling.

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More than 500 Sudanese nationals have crossed into Spain’s Ceuta enclave from Morocco in recent days, sleeping in forests and beaches while pleading for asylum [215297]. They are part of a larger exodus: over nine million people are displaced inside Sudan, and more than 3.5 million have crossed borders, according to the United Nations [215297]. The UN migration agency reports that worsening insecurity has displaced over 5,000 more people in West Darfur alone, with most fleeing into Chad [215201].

The conflict began on April 15, 2023, as a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, spreading across Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan [215297]. More than 30 million people now need humanitarian assistance, while blockades and market destruction worsen the risk of famine [215297]. Pope Leo has urged global powers to support an immediate ceasefire, describing conditions as "tragic" [215215].

The war is also destroying Sudan’s cultural heritage. More than 200 ancient pyramids at Meroë, a UNESCO World Heritage site built over 2,000 years ago, are at risk from shelling, looting, and neglect after local guards fled the violence [215186]. Unlike Egypt’s fortified pyramids, these smaller sandstone structures are more vulnerable, and experts warn that armed groups could dig into tombs and steal artifacts that have survived for millennia [215186].

Refugees arriving in Ceuta describe harrowing journeys. One man, Ahmed, 43, from Darfur, left Sudan in August 2024 on foot after losing his father and two brothers in bombings [215297]. He survived seven months in Libya, enduring attacks by security forces and crossing the desert without food or water, while his three children remain in Sudan [215297]. Another refugee, Mohamed, a 38-year-old law graduate, said: "We only need a chance. One chance can make the difference" [215297].

Sudan’s West Darfur: Over 5,000 Displaced by Worsening Insecurity, UN Says "We only need a chance": Sudanese refugees stranded at Ceuta border as world's worst crisis deepens Sudan’s Ancient Pyramids at Risk as Civil War Rages

Sources

Pope Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in Sudan, Citing 'Tragic' Situation #215215

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