As the unyielding conflict in Sudan grinds into its third harrowing year, the head of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) has voiced a dire warning. This grim alert underscores the mounting dangers faced by humanitarian workers attempting to aid millions at risk, under arduous and perilous conditions.
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In an incisive revelation, Aida al-Sayed Abdullah, Secretary-General of the SRCS, cast light on the perilous existence endured by volunteers and staff. These steadfast individuals navigate treacherous landscapes of violence and destruction in an unwavering quest to deliver critical lifelines.
“It’s profoundly challenging to affirm we have any guarantees for the protection of staff or volunteers,” Abdullah noted during an interview in Geneva with Anadolu. “The war in Sudan heeds not a scintilla of international humanitarian law, nor any emblems—nothing.”
When conflict ignited between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in April 2023, it swiftly unraveled into a calamity of epic humanitarian proportions. What do these numbers truly signify? Official reports by the United Nations and local authorities cite over 20,000 fatalities. However, analyses led by U.S. scholars hint that the death toll could astonishingly surpass 130,000—bearing witness to untold human despair beneath those stark figures.
Amid this tumult, another staggering reality emerges: the displacement of over 13 million people, as documented by the SRCS. Essential infrastructure has sustained severe damage or outright destruction, further complicating an already dire situation.
Astoundingly, about 80% of the country’s health facilities have vanished or faltered into non-functionality, leaving swathes without suitable medical care. Immense regions now languish under prolonged power outages and water shortages, worsening an already fraught humanitarian landscape.
“Fourteen days have passed, and darkness cloaks Sudan,” Abdullah remarked, her words painting a hopeless tableau of daily struggles.
‘A Cry for Sudan’
While recent military advances see the Sudanese army reclaim territories previously under RSF sway, the humanitarian nightmare remains relentless. Even as lines are redrawn on battleground maps, countless civilians remain ensnared amid the relentless barrage.
Despite the acute dangers closing in on every side, Abdullah shared that SRCS workers and volunteers—unyielding in their resolve—continue to deliver indispensable aid across all 18 of Sudan’s states, including the beleaguered Darfur region. These humanitarian stalwarts often belong to the very communities they aid, confronting this brutal reality alongside relatives and neighbors—an intimate involvement that fuels their resolve.
“We boast a corps of trained volunteers, adept and devoted,” Abdullah praised, recounting how they brave hostile conditions to evacuate the injured, administer first aid, set up communal kitchens, and render aid to their fellow human beings.
Abdullah recounted one particular episode: SRCS’s swift response to recent assaults on Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur. In the face of dire threats, they efficiently evacuated residents and delivered vital supplies—food, water, and baby formula—a testament to their operational agility.
Yet, the indefatigable spirit of these efforts faces a formidable adversary: inadequate funding. Abdullah lamented this stark reality. Despite the imperative collaboration with global humanitarian agencies—UNICEF, the World Food Program, and the World Health Organization—funding falls dramatically short of necessity.
Illustrating a beacon of hope, Abdullah highlighted the solidarity extended by Türkiye, with its Turkish Red Crescent having cemented meaningful collaborations pre-war and continuing their commendable work amidst the crisis. However, the focus of the world seems to be shifting.
Abdullah’s concern sharpened as she expressed: “It appears as though Sudan is vanishing from the global discourse,” she noted with visible exasperation, reflecting on the troubling predicament of global indifference.
Drawing the conversation to a poignant close, Abdullah issued a heartfelt entreaty. “For two relentless years, the Sudanese have endured untold suffering. I beseech you to remember Sudan—champion the cause of the Sudanese.”
Let’s not forget these pages spun through turbulence, mosaic tales of resilience and unyielding human spirit demanding all ears, all hearts, to listen.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring
