As the conflict in Sudan escalated this week, refugees, many of whom had fled violence in neighboring countries, found themselves trapped in Khartoum and other cities.

In interviews with VOA, many said they fear for their lives and are in need of help, but nobody seemed to be listening to their pleas. 

Aster Tariku, an Ethiopian refugee and a mother of two children, described the chaos in Khartoum: “The city is in havoc. There are airstrikes. It’s terrifying. We’ve shut our doors and are hiding in the house. The children scream if I open the doors; they scream. They are in shock.”

Aster also spoke of the difficulties of finding food. “I’ve nothing to feed my children. God is my witness. We are just eating what I had. We stay on an empty stomach and eat during the evening,” she told VOA’s Amharic service.

Eyasu Adola, a coordinator of the Oromo community in Sudan, said members of the Eritrean and Ethiopian refugee communities have been wounded and killed in the conflict. 

“Many people are injured,” he said. “And due to the clash, many have died too. We have confirmed that a husband, wife, and child have died, and another four people traveling on a Bajaj [auto rickshaw] have died.” 

Eyasu also spoke of the ordeal of some Oromo children, saying, “Some children are locked in a school in the Medhanialem Ethiopian Orthodox Church, in Khartoum. They have been there ever since the first day. All the teachers and the students are there.”

Another refugee from the Oromo community, who spoke to VOA’s Afan Oromo service on condition of anonymity, said he saw some civilians caught in the crossfire. “A woman from our country was hit by a bullet in her leg when she tried to get back home from her workplace. Even her family was not able to visit her at all.”

Kumera Jirata, another refugee from Ethiopia based outside of Khartoum, described the condition most refugees are facing. “We are waiting in fear. Nothing is happening so far. Our camp is further away from the capital. However, there is no guarantee for our safety.”

All the refugees called on the international community to urgently assist in providing food, shelter and safety. 

Two cease-fires declared in Sudan this week broke down, making it difficult for aid workers to reach individuals in need or for people sheltering in their homes to flee to safer surroundings. 

The United Nations says Sudan is home to more than 1 million refugees from neighboring countries, including Chad, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Tedros Berhane, an Eritrean refugee living in the capital city, said they are in distress due to the almost non-stop heavy fighting between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. 

“There’s a lot of gunfire and disturbance around us,” he said in a WhatsApp message.

Another Eritrean who asked to remain anonymous said, “We’ve been warned to close our doors and stay in because there is looting and abuse.”

Refugees in the country said they had difficulties even before the fighting started. Security forces, some reported, had been harassing and detaining refugees.

“Prior to this chaos, they were harassing refugees, requesting them for identification, so we were telling our families to stay indoors as a result,” an Ethiopian refugee told VOA.

But above all else, he added, refugees in the crossfire called on the international community not to forget them. He said, “Please be our voice, for people who are suffering the most.” 

Eden Geremew, Jalene Gemeda and Winta Kidane contributed to this report. 
…