Um Dafuq, October 11 (Darfur24)
Dozens of Sudanese refugees in Birao camp, Central African Republic, were robbed and assaulted shortly after receiving financial aid from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), according to refugee testimonies.
Adam Mukhtar, a refugee, told Darfur 24 that 14 women and eight men were attacked and whipped by unknown men immediately after receiving the cash assistance. He said the perpetrators confiscated all their belongings.
Mukhtar added that some of the victims managed to flee to the border town of Um Dafuq in South Darfur, where they reported the incident to local authorities. The following day, a helicopter carrying Russian troops arrived and deployed in the area.
The incident comes amid growing tension in the camp after several refugees protested being excluded from food distributions. According to refugees, aid was not delivered to around 11 out of the 22 centers within the Birao camp.
Birao camp hosts approximately 18,000 Sudanese refugees who fled the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces since April 2023. The camp also shelters some Central African refugees who had previously fled to Sudan and were forced to return due to the conflict.