The escalating conflict between rival military factions in Sudan is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation in the region. Aid workers warn that the poorly-funded relief programs are reaching their breaking point as hundreds of thousands of people are displaced due to the ongoing violence.

Since the fighting began on April 15, over 700,000 people have been displaced in Sudan, adding to the 3.7 million people already internally displaced, primarily in the Darfur region. Prior to the recent conflict, nearly 16 million people in Sudan relied on humanitarian aid. This number is expected to rise by 5 million, including 2.5 million children, according to an internal United Nations (UN) estimate obtained by Reuters.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking an additional $445 million to cope with the expected exodus of 860,000 people to six of Sudan's seven neighboring countries, including Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic, by October.

As refugees continue to flee the violence in Sudan, neighboring countries are struggling to accommodate the influx. South Sudan, which is expected to receive 240,000 refugees from Sudan, is grappling with a $1.7 billion UN aid program for the year that is only 26% funded.

Meanwhile, Chad, which is expected to receive 105,000 people fleeing Sudan, is facing one of the highest levels of hunger in the world. The country's $674 million UN aid program for the year is only 4.6% funded.Ethiopia, still recovering from a two-year war that killed tens of thousands of people and created famine-like conditions for hundreds of thousands, is expected to receive 85,000 refugees from Sudan. 

The country's $4 billion UN aid program for 2023 is 20% funded.The humanitarian crisis in Sudan and neighboring countries highlights the urgent need for increased international support and funding to address the escalating situation. With the fighting showing no signs of abating and the number of displaced people continuing to rise, the region's relief programs are in desperate need of resources to prevent a full-scale catastrophe.

For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report.