UN humanitarians issued a grave warning on Friday, highlighting continued violence and famine threats in Sudan. They condemned an attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the village of Wad Al-Noura in Aj Jazirah state, which killed over 100 people, including 35 children, drawing condemnation from UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UNICEF head Catherine Russell.
Mohamed Refaat, the UN migration agency (IOM)’s chief of mission, reported “truly horrifying” violence in the village and emphasized the dire humanitarian situation in North Darfur’s capital, El Fasher, where 800,000 civilians remain endangered amid intensified fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF. Refaat called for unimpeded aid access and noted that essentials like water and fuel have become unaffordable.
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The conflict, which began on April 15, 2023, has internally displaced nearly 10 million people. Food insecurity is worsening, with 18 million acutely hungry and 3.6 million children malnourished. Over two million people have fled Sudan, mainly to Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt, often in severe conditions. Refaat also noted a surge in irregular migration through dangerous corridors into Libya and Tunisia, with some 2,000 families stranded between Egypt, Libya, and Sudan.
UNHCR’s Alpha Seydi Ba described the humanitarian strain in Chad, which has received over 600,000 Sudanese refugees since the crisis began, joining the 400,000 already hosted. Chad’s authorities have kept borders open, but funding shortages challenge the provision of basic needs, with only 9% of a $1.4 billion response plan funded for neighboring countries, and 16% for Sudan.
The WHO warned of Sudan’s collapsing health system, with 65% of the population lacking care and only 25% of medical supplies available. WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier reported a surge in measles, cholera, malaria, and dengue cases and expressed concern over the lack of treatment for chronic conditions, predicting worsening conditions in 2024.
