In Sudan’s four-month battle, at least 498 children “and probably hundreds more” have perished from famine, according to a report released on Tuesday by the NGO Save the Children.
The organization’s director in Sudan, Arif Noor, diclosed in a news release that “children are dying of hunger when it could have been completely avoided” in a nation where one in three citizens experienced starvation before to the war.
“At least 498 children in Sudan and probably hundreds more have died of starvation” since the start of the war on April 15, he adds. “We never imagined seeing so many children dying of starvation but this is the new reality in Sudan.”
And things could become worse because Save the Children had to cease treating “31,000 malnourished children” because they were unable to run their programs in the midst of the war. May saw the destruction of the factory that generated 60% of the nutritional therapy for kids.
According to a survey by the NGO Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (Acled), the fight between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (FSR, paramilitary), which experts predict might endure for years, has resulted in about 5,000 deaths since April 15. More than four million people had to escape as a result of it.
Confronted by the harrowing situation, the international community is grappling with the challenge of securing funding for assistance to displaced individuals, refugees, the wounded, and victims of sexual violence. Meanwhile, international justice remains concerned about potential “war crimes.” Humanitarian efforts have been hindered by authorities preventing entry and movement, along with instances of attacks. These aid organizations stress that they have only managed to acquire 27% of the necessary funds.
As of Tuesday, the violence has persisted, primarily affecting Khartoum and Darfur—a vast western region equivalent in size to France and home to around a quarter of Sudan’s approximate 48 million inhabitants. Within Darfur, the epicenter of conflict lies in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur. Since August 11, reports indicate “60 fatalities, 250 injuries, and 50,000 displaced individuals,” as reported by the UN.
Tragically, the local military commander was reportedly “assassinated” there on Monday. The ongoing hostilities impede the passage of humanitarian aid-laden trucks. In Nyala, the Turkish hospital—the sole operational medical facility—has declared itself overwhelmed by the influx of wounded individuals.
Recent developments have seen the conflict extend to el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. This follows a grim pattern where, as outlined by the humanitarian research laboratory at Yale University, at least 27 localities in Darfur have been subjected to burning by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their Arab militia allies.
The head of this facility, which works with the Conflict Observatory, AFP Nathaniel Raymond, confirms that “nobody stops the FSR, they move freely while the army is entrenched in its bases.”