From South Kordofan to El Obeid, displaced Sudanese women tell stories of violence, hunger and the loss of loved ones
Al-Muwahid camp houses about 6,500 families who fled the fighting amid a severe shortage of basic needs, such as water, food and shelter, while humanitarian organizations – including the United Nations Population Fund – are trying to fill some of the gaps, especially in the areas of health and protection.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in April 2023, Sudan has descended into an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, in which civilians remain the most prominent victims of the cycle of violence, especially sexual violence, which has become a distinctive feature of the conflict. As the war approaches its third year, Sudan is witnessing the largest internal displacement crisis in the world, after the number of displaced people exceeded the barrier of nine million people.
“They killed my husband and son and burned our clothes.”
Alia (27 years old) arrived at the camp ten months ago, coming from the Al-Dabaibat area, in South Kordofan, after a harsh displacement journey. She says that she was beaten and humiliated at the checkpoints, and that everything she was carrying to feed her eight children was confiscated from her. She adds: “Every time we passed a checkpoint, another checkpoint followed, and they beat and humiliated us again. I had flour to mix with water to feed my eight children, but they took it from me. They took everything from us, even our clothes, and burned them in front of our eyes. Then some people came carrying charcoal on donkeys, and took the children on donkeys, and I followed them on foot until I reached El-Obeid. They killed my husband and my son. My husband was carrying our son on a donkey, so they shot and killed them. “Together.”
“Sometimes we eat, sometimes we don’t.”
As for Fatima (40 years old), she said that she had to flee on foot for two days with her family of seven members, without being able to carry any of her belongings, noting that she arrived at Al-Abyad camp wearing the same clothes in which she left her home.
She adds: “We left everything we had. We have nothing. Sometimes we eat, sometimes we don’t eat. We stayed in the camp for ten months. In the beginning, food was distributed here, but it is no longer available. We have no food. We cannot even light a fire to cook. We ask God to stop this war so that we can return to our homes. In such circumstances, we will return when the conflict ends.”
We seek peace
Salma Muhammad Bishara (50 years old) talks about a seven-day journey from Dilling to El Obeid. She lost her father on the way after she was unable to find medical care for him.
She explains her suffering by saying: “We are a family of nine people. We were displaced from Dilling and arrived here after seven days. I stayed in the camp for eight months. My father was sick and needed a doctor, and we were looking for a hospital, but he died on the way. Inside the camp, some people cannot cook because they lack tools. We hope for peace because we are displaced, living among tents and temporary shelters.”
Salma says she wants to return to her home. “Women are exhausted from the war. Many crimes have been committed against women, including rape.”
She points out that many women have lost their husbands and adds: “In this camp, the women who are still with their husbands can be counted on the fingers of one hand.”
Help us rebuild our home and come back
The young woman, Ismailia (16 years old), arrived at the camp three months ago after a days-long journey on donkeys and then in trucks. About that she says: “We traveled on donkeys for three days, and then trucks took us to this camp. We need food. I hope to return to my city and school. Please help us rebuild our home and return.”
*These testimonies were collected by colleagues at the United Nations Population Fund in Sudan.
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