International experts on Thursday, June 27 warned that 755,000 people are at risk of famine in the coming months amid ongoing clashes between rival military leaders in Sudan.
The latest report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) revealed that the conflict has triggered a hunger crisis on a scale not seen since the early 2000s Darfur conflict.
The IPC, established during the 2004 Somali famine, includes more than a dozen UN agencies, aid groups, governments, and other organizations.
The report highlighted that after 14 months of conflict, 8.5 million people in Sudan are experiencing extreme food shortages. This scarcity has spread to the capital, Khartoum, and the once-fertile Jazira province.
Sudan descended into chaos in April last year when simmering tensions between the country’s military, led by General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, erupted into open conflict in Khartoum and across the nation.
According to the United Nations, the devastating conflict has claimed over 14,000 lives and injured 33,000 others, although rights activists believe the actual toll could be much higher.
The fighting has also caused the world’s largest displacement crisis, with more than 11 million people forced to flee their homes. UN human rights experts reported that both warring factions have used food and starvation as weapons of war.
The IPC report revealed that those facing the highest levels of starvation in the coming months are located in 10 provinces, including Khartoum, the Darfur and Kordofan regions, and the Blue Nile and Jazira provinces.
The number of people at this level of hunger was zero in June 2023 but has since surged to 755,000.
“The conflict has not only triggered mass displacement and disrupted supply routes, market systems, and agricultural production, but it has also severely limited access to essential humanitarian assistance, exacerbating an already dire situation.”
IPC report
Additionally, another 8.5 million people are classified in Phase 4, the second-worst level of starvation. This classification indicates that the risk of hunger-related deaths is rapidly increasing due to extreme food shortages, acute malnutrition, and high disease levels.
More Than Half of Sudan’s Population Vulnerable
Overall, the IPC warned that 25.6 million people, more than half of Sudan’s 47 million population, face “crisis or worse conditions” between June and September 2023.
The report also cautioned that 14 areas are at risk of famine if the conflict escalates further, particularly through the increased mobilization of local militias.
“The situation is especially critical for populations trapped in areas affected by direct conflict and insecurity, lacking protection,” the report emphasized, referencing Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum, and Jazira where intense fighting has persisted for months.
Cindy McCain, head of the World Food Program, stated that the current crisis, unlike the early 2000s Darfur conflict, affects the entire country and poses a threat to the stability of the Horn of Africa region.
“We urgently need a massive expansion of humanitarian access and funding so we can scale up our relief operations and halt Sudan’s slide into a humanitarian catastrophe,” McCain urged.
The ongoing conflict has devastated Sudan and will have lasting impacts on future generations. At least 17 million children are currently out of school due to the war, and about 4 million children under the age of five are suffering from acute malnutrition.
Of these, 730,000 are at imminent risk of dying, according to UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
While Sudan teeters on the brink of a catastrophic humanitarian disaster, the international community must act swiftly to provide the necessary aid and support to alleviate the suffering of millions and prevent further escalation of the crisis.
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