Khartoum: Over 30 million people are in dire need of urgent humanitarian assistance in Sudan amid a raging conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), four UN agencies said Thursday.
According to Anadolu Agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), UNICEF, and the World Food Program (WFP) highlighted in a joint statement that Sudan is facing one of the world's most severe emergencies. The statement revealed that the crisis has left more than 30 million people requiring humanitarian aid, including over 9.6 million internally displaced individuals and nearly 15 million children.
The report noted that nearly 2.6 million people returned to their homes following a relative calm after the cessation of clashes in the capital Khartoum and other regions. However, the conflict resulted in significant damage or destruction to homes, neighborhoods, and essential services.
Ugochi Daniels, IOM Deputy Director General for Operations, emphasized the urgency of investing in clean water, healthcare, and other essential services, as cholera, dengue, and malaria are spreading across Sudan. This situation underscores the need for support, allowing people to rebuild their lives.
The education sector is among the hardest hit, with UN estimates indicating that 14 out of 17 million school-aged children are currently out of school due to the ongoing conflict.
The UN agencies warned that thousands, including children, are at imminent risk of death as hunger reaches catastrophic levels. Some parts of Sudan were declared famine-stricken last year. The need for humanitarian assistance is particularly acute in the Darfur and Kordofan states in western and central Sudan, where isolation and the collapse of essential services leave millions vulnerable.
More than 260,000 people, including 130,000 children, have been trapped under a siege imposed by the RSF on El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, for over 16 months, cutting them off from food, water, and medical care.
The report indicated mounting daily reports of killings, sexual violence, and forced recruitment. The ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has claimed the lives of over 20,000 people and displaced 14 million, according to UN and local authorities. However, research from US universities estimates the death toll to be around 130,000.