United Nations agencies are raising alarms about the swiftly declining humanitarian situation in Sudan, citing escalating needs and increasing displacement amidst a backdrop of heightened danger. The situation is becoming increasingly dire for civilians trapped in the conflict.
Jacqueline Willima Barleblet, head of the UNHCR sub-office in Port Sudan, highlighted the “desperation” felt by civilians attempting to flee the region. She stated that a significant number of people remain in El Fasher, while an equal number are displaced but unable to continue their journeys due to the prevailing dangers, the risk of being returned to El Fasher, or because they include vulnerable individuals such as those with disabilities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of worsening hunger and a spreading cholera outbreak, which has already claimed the lives of over 3,500 people. Christian Lindmeier, a WHO spokesperson, stated that Sudan is facing one of the world’s most severe food crises, with over 21 million people experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity as of last September.
Lindmeier emphasized that famine has been confirmed in El Fasher and Kadugli and now threatens twenty additional areas in Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan. The combination of conflict and lack of access to humanitarian aid has created a perfect storm, pushing communities to the brink.
Adding to the crisis, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) reports that the danger stems not only from food shortages and disease but also from explosive remnants of war and ongoing combat. According to Siddiq Rashid, an official with UNMAS, urban areas, where fighting is most intense, are littered with mines and unexploded ordnance.
Rashid affirmed that the situation is extremely perilous for civilians trapped in an environment that becomes more deadly with each step, and the presence of explosive hazards severely restricts the movement of people and the delivery of assistance.
DZWatch will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available. The international community is urged to increase its support for humanitarian efforts in Sudan to avert further catastrophe.
