The United Nations warned in a statement on Friday that war and hunger threaten to “take over” all of Sudan, with hundreds of thousands of malnourished children facing death.
Since April 15, the country has been witnessing fierce fighting between the army and paramilitary forces. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator Martin Griffiths warned that this war “is fueling a humanitarian emergency of epic proportions”.
“This spreading conflict – and the resulting hunger, disease and displacement – now threatens to engulf the entire country,” he added.
The war has killed nearly 5,000 people, according to the NGO ACLED. But the real outcome will be higher, as many regions of the country are completely isolated from the world, and both sides refuse to reveal their losses.
In four months, more than 4.6 million people have had to flee.
“The longer the fighting goes on, the more devastating its impact becomes. In some places there is no more food left. Hundreds of thousands of children are severely malnourished and face imminent risk of death if not treated.
The senior UN official indicates that the fierce fighting that has swept the capital Khartoum and Darfur since mid-April has spread to Kordofan.
“In Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan state, food supplies are completely depleted, while clashes and roadblocks are preventing aid workers from reaching the starving population,” he added. Loot and plunder supplies.
He added that he was “extremely concerned about the safety of civilians in Gezira State, as the conflict approaches Sudan’s breadbasket.”
Diseases (measles, malaria, dengue fever, etc.) spread across the country and most people do not have access to medical treatment. “The conflict has devastated the health sector, with most hospitals out of service,” said Martin Griffiths.
Nearly a million people have fled to neighboring countries, adding pressure on host communities. “The protracted conflict in Sudan could push the entire region into a humanitarian catastrophe,” he added.
“It is time for all those involved in this conflict to put the Sudanese people before seeking power or resources,” he asked.
