Saudi charity raises more than $800,000 in a day for Sudan victims

Saudi Arabia sends third relief plane carrying 10 tonnes of aid on Wednesday

Aid is loaded into a Saudi Royal Air Force cargo plane, bound for Port Sudan, at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Spa via Reuters

A campaign to assist the Sudanese people raised $800,000 in less than 24 hours this week.

The kingdom-wide fundraising campaign was launched on Monday to help those affected by the fighting.

Saudis donated their cash to the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre's online campaign “Sahem”, which means "to contribute" in Arabic.

On Tuesday, Dr Abdullah Al Rabeeah, adviser at the Royal Court and general supervisor of KSRelief, said the money would be used to provide urgent relief supplies to displaced Sudanese people and those affected by the fighting.

The centre does not deduct any administrative fees from donations, he said.

The fundraising campaign was one of the “noble features of the leadership of this country and generous people that respond,” Dr Al Rabeeah said.

The third Saudi relief plane is being prepared to take off from King Khalid airport in Riyadh to Sudan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday afternoon.

The plane will carry 10 tonnes of food, medical supplies and shelter material bought with help from donations.

On Tuesday, a team of 1,000 Saudi volunteers left for Sudan to deliver 10 tonnes of the aid.

Humanitarian aid worth $100 million will be provided to the Sudanese people by KSrelief, Spa reported.

Saudi Arabia has evacuated more than 5,000 people from Sudan since the start of its mission.

The Ministry of Defence on Tuesday said King Abdullah Air Base had received 26 flights carrying 2,889 people since the evacuations began.

The Air Force has set up six evacuation flights since the start of the operation.

The UN says 860,000 are expected to flee to neighbouring countries that were already struggling.

On Tuesday, the World Health Organisation put the death toll in Sudan at more than 600, with 5,000 injured, although the figure is expected to be much higher as many deaths are unaccounted for.

The International Organisation for Migration said on Tuesday that the number of internally displaced people in Sudan has more than doubled in the past week, amid armed clashes erupted between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

More than 700,000 people were now internally displaced by the fighting, which began on April 15, the UN reported.