By Oyintari Ben
Hanadi Al-Sir was one of the many people who went to Port Sudan in an effort to board a boat or an airplane to flee the intense combat between the army and opposing paramilitary forces.
Ten days later, she is still camping out in the scorching sun at the Red Sea city alongside throngs of others awaiting tickets in tents and shelters.
“I sleep on the floor because I lack the funds to get a hotel room. The 37-year-old stated, “There are no services here”.
The city is a major maritime port and, in better times, a popular vacation spot. However, managing the daily influx of Sudanese, Syrians, and Yemenis has been challenging.
Many migrants forced to sleep in public parks, under trees, and outside of government buildings find that rooms can cost up to $100 per night.
There are bases for both UN and international diplomatic missions vying for space. Saudi Arabia, located across the Red Sea from Port Sudan, reports that about 8,000 people have been evacuated.
Although there haven’t been many battles, Port Sudan is preparing for the impacts of a larger economic downturn.
The damaged financial and telecom infrastructure has made it more difficult for the refugees to obtain money.
“They have rendered us helpless; we have no privacy or freedom. Salem waited under one of the temporary tents and remarked, “I wish we had never left Khartoum. “We moved to look for a way out, but up until now, there has been none”.
About 400 patients daily, mostly Syrians and Yemenis, visit clinics sponsored by the Sudanese Red Crescent, according to volunteer doctor Rawan Abdelrahman. She said, “They are running out of staff, supplies, and medications.”
Many of her patients were originally refugees from violence in their own countries who fled to Sudan.
5,000 Syrians are reportedly waiting to leave, according to restaurant owner Abu Munir, who is one of them.
He was weary from spending more than a week on the streets when he stated, “I came here nine years ago fleeing war, and now war is driving us out in Sudan.” “Despite the war at home, returning to Syria is our only chance”.
