The United Nations has warned that more than 7 million people in South Sudan are facing the threat of food insecurity.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs clarified, as reported by the American channel “Alhurra” on Wednesday, that among these, tens of thousands may face a catastrophic level of famine, especially in areas affected by climate-related clashes, economic crisis, and conflicts.
Earlier, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs had announced the displacement of around 670,000 people from the north to the south of Sudan last year, while up to nine million people in South Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance
Sudan descended into chaos in mid-April 2023 when long-standing tensions between its army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the quasi-military Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo erupted into street battles in the capital Khartoum.
The fighting spread to other parts of the country, particularly urban areas and the Darfur region.
The Rapid Support Forces seized control of most parts of Darfur and besieged El Fasher, the only capital in Darfur not under their control, which has become a refuge for about 500,000 civilians.
In April, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that Sudan is among the countries most at risk of severe hunger due to the ongoing war that has lasted for a year.
The FAO issued a warning that acute hunger in Sudan is threatening approximately 577,000 people. The country is currently facing the world’s largest displacement crisis, according to international assessments.
The FAO anticipates that Sudan will enter one of the worst phases of hunger by next fall, leading to a humanitarian disaster that will exacerbate the multiple crises the country is experiencing.
Earlier reports from Sudanese officials have revealed that some residents have resorted to eating leaves and locusts due to extreme hunger and food shortages.
