The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Monday that at least 25 million people in Sudan are suffering from increased rates of hunger and malnutrition amid the ongoing war in the country, which has lasted for over ten months. The crisis in Sudan is sending shockwaves around the world, with thousands of families displaced weekly, crossing borders into Chad and South Sudan. According to Michael Dunford, the WFP’s Regional Director for East Africa, the impact of this conflict spans three countries—Sudan, South Sudan, and Chad—resulting in the world’s largest displacement crisis.
Since the conflict erupted, hunger and acute malnutrition rates in Sudan have soared, with 18 million people facing severe food insecurity and approximately 3.8 million children under five suffering from malnutrition. Dunford warned that without resolving the conflict, allowing unrestricted access for humanitarian agencies, and receiving necessary funding, the crisis could worsen, especially as the drought season approaches. The WFP is currently facing a funding gap of about $300 million for the next six months.
The conflict, which began in mid-April between the military and the Rapid Support Forces, has resulted in 12,000 deaths and displaced over seven million people from their homes, according to United Nations statistics. The war has also caused significant damage to infrastructure, hospitals, and service facilities.
The ongoing war in Sudan, which erupted on April 15, 2023, during Ramadan, has resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis. The conflict involves two primary factions: the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under the command of Hemedti. The war has largely been concentrated in the capital city, Khartoum, and the Darfur region. As of January 2024, the war has claimed between 13,000 to 15,000 lives, with 33,000 more injured. The conflict has also led to significant displacement, with over 5.8 million people internally displaced and more than 1.5 million fleeing as refugees. The situation in Darfur has been particularly dire, with many civilians reported dead as part of the 2023 Masalit massacres.
The RSF, emerging as the most powerful paramilitary group from the Bashir era, was initially formed from the Janjaweed militia, known for their brutal attacks in the Darfur region. The RSF has been implicated in mass displacement, sexual violence, and other severe human rights violations. Under Bashir’s regime, the RSF was organized and employed as a border guard force, among other roles, and has played a significant part in the current conflict.
Recent negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict, such as the Treaty of Jeddah, have failed to halt the fighting, indicating the deep-rooted and complex nature of this war. The conflict’s background is rooted in Sudan’s history of military coups, ethnic and religious disputes, and conflicts over resources, with the country having experienced more than 15 military coups since gaining independence in 1956.
