Sudan continues to suffer from the worst famine and refugee crisis while the civil war has continued for 15 months

PORT OF SUDAN

Sudan continues to face the world’s worst hunger and displacement crisis as a result of 15 months of armed conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The number of people killed in the clashes is estimated at around 16,000. However, due to the collapse of the health system in the north-east African country, the death toll is much higher.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 7.7 million people have been internally displaced since the war in Sudan began in April 2023.

The IOM found that more than two million people have crossed the border into neighboring countries, with 55 percent of them being children under 18.

Expulsion and hunger

UNICEF reported that Sudan is home to the world’s largest number of displaced children, at five million.

According to the IOM, 36% of the displaced people come from Khartoum, 20% from South Darfur and 14% from North Darfur.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the situation in Sudan was deteriorating and that women, children and entire families were being forced to flee and leave everything behind.

OCHA reported that Sudan is currently facing the “worst food insecurity in 20 years.”

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that one in five people in Sudan are affected by acute food shortages due to the ongoing civil war.

“755,000 people are affected by catastrophic hunger. 25.6 million are affected by acute hunger,” said Ghebreyesus.

Danger of starvation

Eatizaz Yousif, Sudan country director of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), said the ongoing war has left nearly half the country in need of humanitarian aid and three million people on the brink of famine and at risk of starvation.

UNICEF Representative in Sudan Mandeep O’Brien said some 8.9 million Sudanese children were suffering from acute food shortages and disease.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stressed that Sudan is “one of the worst places in the world” for children.

Russell pointed out that millions of Sudanese children are malnourished and unable to attend school.

The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023 between army general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo due to disagreements over the integration of the RSF into the army.

The conflict has triggered a devastating humanitarian crisis, with nearly 16,000 people killed in the clashes and millions forced to flee their homes.

On March 29, Sudan filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against the United Arab Emirates for allegedly supporting the RSF, an accusation the UAE denies.

Turkish ship carrying 2,408 tons of humanitarian aid heads to war-torn Sudan

⁠The ship carrying food, hygiene products, clothing, shelter and health supplies is expected to arrive in Sudan between July 19 and 21, said Okay Memis, president of AFAD.

A ship carrying 2,408 tons of humanitarian aid left the international port of Mersin on Saturday for Sudan.

The assistance was prepared under the coordination of the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), with contributions from the Ministry of Health, the Turkish Red Crescent and several non-governmental organizations.

According to Okay Memis, President of AFAD, the aid includes food, hygiene products, clothing, accommodation and medical supplies.

The ship, named “Sardes,” is expected to arrive in Sudan between July 19 and 21, Oktay said.

* Written by Seda Sevencan

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