The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a warning about the severe risk of malnutrition facing hundreds of thousands of children in Sudan, as the ongoing conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces exacerbates the humanitarian crisis.
In a post on the platform X (formerly Twitter), UNICEF emphasized that peace is what the children of Sudan need most at this moment. The organization, along with its partners, is providing life-saving nutrition and health packages to children and pregnant women.
United Nations reports indicate that the war in Sudan has left approximately 25 million people in urgent need of humanitarian aid, including around 14 million children. Unofficial estimates suggest that about 37% of Sudan’s population is experiencing a food security crisis, meaning that approximately 17.7 million people are suffering from acute hunger, according to Anadolu Agency.
Since April 2023, fierce battles have been raging between the Sudanese army, led by Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti,” resulting in over 13,000 deaths and around 8 million displaced persons and refugees, as per the United Nations.
In February, the Sudanese army launched a military operation aimed at eliminating the Rapid Support Forces, following the failure of negotiations mediated by Saudi Arabia and the United States in Jeddah, which did not achieve a breakthrough to stop the war now in its eleventh month. African efforts led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to bring together Burhan and “Hemedti” in hopes of ceasing fire and facilitating aid delivery have also not been successful, according to Anadolu Agency.
As of 21 January 2024, the war has resulted in 13,000 to 15,000 deaths and 33,000 injuries. The number of internally displaced persons has surged to over 5.8 million, with more than 1.5 million fleeing the country as refugees. The conflict has also seen the involvement of various rebel groups aligning with either the SAF or the RSF, further complicating the situation and hampering peace efforts. Despite international attempts to mediate, including the Treaty of Jeddah, the fighting has continued, with no significant progress toward a ceasefire or resolution
