'We were a normal family … but then everything changed': Refugees recount brutal toll of Sudan's civil war

"We Were a Normal Family, But Then Everything Changed": Refugees Recount Brutal Toll of Sudan's Civil War
CBC News, April 15, 2026

Three years into Sudan's civil war, the United Nations now describes the country as the site of the world's worst displacement crisis, with more than 11 million people forced from their homes. CBC News reports from the Korsi refugee camp in Birao, Central African Republic, where thousands of Sudanese refugees have arrived after perilous journeys through armed conflict, theft, and aerial bombardment.

Among them is Nahma Mohammed, who walked eight days from Nyala in Darfur to reach safety. "It was like walking a path between life and death," she said. For many, the violence that drove them from Sudan was sudden and total. Hikmah Hussain fled after shrapnel killed her sister during an aerial bombardment. "If we stay, these kinds of bombs will get us," she said.

What awaits refugees in Birao is strained and shrinking. The Central African Republic is among the world's poorest countries, and international aid has been dramatically cut. US funding for the refugee response nearly halved between 2024 and 2025. Gender-based violence support services have closed. Community kitchens that served as lifelines have shuttered. Only 11 per cent of the $55 million response plan for CAR is funded this year.

The conflict itself shows no sign of resolution, with drone strikes increasing, civilian infrastructure targeted, and fighting continuing across Darfur, Blue Nile, and the Kordofan states. External actors including the United Arab Emirates are accused of arming rival sides, deepening the crisis further.

Read the full article on CBC News.