Sudan’s Ongoing Crisis: A Humanitarian Catastrophe
The protracted conflict in Sudan has resulted in the unfortunate internal displacement of over 10 million people, as reported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Since hostilities ignited in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), approximately 7.26 million individuals have abandoned their residences. This adds to the already staggering 2.83 million displaced due to earlier conflicts, highlights the IOM.
According to countless warnings from the United Nations, Sudan is grappling with the most severe displacement crisis the world has seen. The war shows little indication of easing, while the looming threat of famine cast shadows over the nation.
Now, more than a quarter of Sudan’s 48 million inhabitants have been uprooted, with over 2 million fleeing across international borders.
In Khartoum alone, approximately 3.7 million—over one-third of all displaced persons—have fled the capital. Once vibrant, Khartoum has now become a mere husk, fractured between the warring factions.
In just over a year, this conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives, with one single town in West Darfur reportedly seeing casualties of up to 15,000.
Yet, the overall number of deaths remains ambiguous, with some estimates soaring to a staggering 150,000, according to U.S. special envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello.
As the humanitarian situation worsens, experts and aid organizations warn that millions more lives hang in the balance.
The IOM states that within Sudan, about 70% of the displaced individuals “are currently scrambling for survival in areas now facing famine risks.”
The United Nations reports that 18 million people in Sudan are suffering from severe hunger, with 3.6 million children facing acute malnutrition.
A staggering 55% of those displaced are children under 18, and nearly a quarter are under the age of 5, according to the IOM.
Organizations providing aid express concerns over a lack of reliable data, which hampers any formal declaration of famine. Meanwhile, the U.N. accuses both factions of “systematic roadblocks and intentional refusals” to provide humanitarian access.
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