UNITED NATIONS, Nov 13 (IPS) – After 19 months of conflict, Sudan’s ongoing Civil War continues to have dire living conditions for millions of Sudanese. Heavy fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) has greatly increased the level of hunger across the country. Dozens of people were caught in the crossfire, which led to an increase in the death toll. Sexual violence and rape have been used as weapons of war, and thousands of cases go unreported due to the climate of fear. Sudan has seen record numbers in migration, one of the biggest migration problems in the world.
According to estimates by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), more than 20,000 people have died in the civil war. An estimated 25.6 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, more than 50 percent of Sudan’s population.
On 12 November, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) urged the United Nations (UN) Security Council to speed up response efforts in Sudan amid the escalation of violence. Aid organizations have been denied access to some of the conflict-ridden areas in Sudan.
Crossing the Tine in Chad has long been a critical route for aid agencies to reach Sudan’s critical Darfur region. According to OCHA, intense fighting in the region and Port Sudan region has prevented the delivery of life-saving aid.
“We are deeply concerned about the horrific course of this conflict. Although it has already revealed horrific suffering, there are possibilities that it will kill many people,” said Ramesh Rajasingham, spokesperson for the Acting Head of Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce. Take him away.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed on October 29 that migration levels across the country have reached a new peak, as more than 11 million Sudanese citizens have been displaced since today. More than 400,000 people have been displaced in El Fasher in just six months. More than half of the displaced people are women and more than 25 percent are children.
Zamzam Refugee Camp in northern Darfur is currently home to around 500,000 Sudanese. “The rate of this migration – and the corresponding humanitarian needs – is increasing every day. Half of the country’s population is in need of assistance. They do not have shelter, clean drinking water, and health care. Diseases are spreading rapidly,” explained the IOM’s. Director General, Amy Pope.
The civil war has wreaked havoc on Sudan’s agricultural sector. According to the World Bank, nearly 9 million people are expected to face severe hunger by 2025 if conditions do not improve. The World Food Program estimates that there are 13 areas in Sudan that are currently at risk of famine.
“People are selling their property to buy food for their families. The purchase of goods in the market has been disrupted because of the fighting. Many people are now completely dependent on aid to get just one meal a day. People have to eat leaves and eat leaves, mud for energy just to try to survive,” said the director. of Concern Sudan, Dr. Farooq Khan.
“One in two people in Sudan is struggling to find even a small amount of food to survive. Famine conditions exist in North Darfur, and millions struggle to feed themselves every day,” added the Pope.
On 5 November, the UN reported that the RSF was using rape and sexual violence as weapons of war. “This massive campaign, which focuses mainly on women and girls, has been found to include rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, and human trafficking under conditions of extreme violence that can lead to torture,” said another UN expert.
According to a report dated 23 October by the UN, more than 400 victims of sexual abuse from RSF have been recorded and referred to health care and psychological support services. Most of these victims have no access to health care. Aid organizations have called on RSF staff to be held accountable for their crimes to ensure perpetrators are held accountable and suffering does not continue.
The coordinator of the Sudanese Communications Association, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, in a statement issued on October 26, said that the continued attacks on civilians and infrastructure are not permitted by international law and must stop. “I think that given the nature of the violence, the level of impunity enjoyed by the RSF and the relative silence around the world, that the death toll could end up being greatly underestimated,” he said.
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