September 16, Um Dafouk — Seven Sudanese refugees drowned in the city of Brau in the Central African Republic adjacent to Sudan’s western border, during an arduous journey to refugee camps in the capital, Bangui. Eyewitnesses told Darfur24 that their bodies, including two children and three women, were recovered on Friday. One other refugee drowned on a separate crossing trip but local volunteers were unable to recover his body.

Muhammad Ahmed, a merchant from Central Africa, said on Sunday that 17 Sudanese refugees were using a sailboat to cross into Central Africa, which was swept away by the high valley current, causing it to overturn. He said that volunteers were able to save 10 people, while the rest died.

He reported that the survivors were taken to the hospital, while the eighth person, who doesn’t know how to swim, tried to cross and was swept away by the valley current without volunteers being able to save him.

The victims had flew from Um Dafouk area in South Darfur state. Since the beginning of the Sudan crisis in April 2023, the Central African Republic has received 28,871 refugees according to data published last month.