More than 55,000 Sudanese refugees flee to Chad as UN calls for more funding

More than 55,000 refugees from Sudan have fled into eastern Chad in recent weeks, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), which said the pace of arrivals has surged dramatically as the conflict in Sudan continues.

UNHCR reported that roughly 400 people a day are now crossing the border from Sudan into Chad, a rate the agency says is about 20 times higher than it was previously. The sharp increase points to a rapidly worsening humanitarian situation inside Sudan, where ongoing fighting has repeatedly displaced large numbers of civilians.

Agency appeals for funding

In response to the growing influx, UNHCR has renewed its appeal for additional international funding to support the refugees arriving in Chad, a country that has already been hosting large numbers of people displaced by the conflict. The agency has warned that resources on the ground are being stretched by the pace of new arrivals.

Eastern Chad has become one of the primary destinations for Sudanese fleeing violence, with local communities and aid organizations working to accommodate the swelling refugee population. The UN has not yet detailed a specific funding target tied to this latest appeal, but has signaled that continued support will be essential to meet the needs of those crossing the border in the weeks ahead.