The United Nations calls on governments not to return anyone to Sudan

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday called on countries to allow civilians fleeing Sudan to enter their territory and not to send them back to the conflict-torn country.

“We advise governments not to send people back to Sudan because of the conflict there,” Elizabeth Tan, UNHCR’s director of international protection, told reporters at a briefing in Geneva.

“This applies to both Sudanese nationals and foreigners, including refugees hosted in Sudan, stateless persons as well as those who do not have a passport or any form of identity document,” Tan added.

According to the United Nations, the conflict in Sudan has forced some 100,000 people to flee to neighboring countries and hampered the delivery of aid in a country where about a third of the population already depends on humanitarian aid.

Tan said there was no indication that civilians from Sudan were not allowed to enter neighboring countries.

Of fleeing civilians, Tan said, “It is likely that high levels of international protection will be required for those fleeing.”

Today, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said that the latest statistics received from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs show that more than 56,000 people have flown into the country, fleeing the conflict in Sudan, until the fourth of May.

The UNHCR office in Egypt stated on Twitter that among these people, who entered the country from the Arqin and Qastal crossings, are at least 52,500 Sudanese and 3,950 of other nationalities.

Sudan has witnessed violent clashes between the army forces and the Rapid Support Forces since the middle of last month, which resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries, during which the two parties announced more than one armistice, but they exchanged accusations of violating it.

Yesterday, Thursday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees expected the flight of 860,000 people from Sudan, including 580,000 Sudanese, noting that Egypt and South Sudan would witness the largest influx of refugees from Sudan.