The Regional Coordinator for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Sudan, Mamadou Balde, reported that the UNHCR confirms that famine has begun in Sudan’s North Darfur state.
Balde stated in a statement: “Warning signs have been present for months, and we now have the tragic confirmation that famine has begun in the North Darfur area of Sudan. Displaced women, children, and men are dying from hunger, malnutrition, and disease, which is clear evidence of the vulnerability of people forced to flee, many of whom have fled multiple times,” according to Sputnik.
Balde added that the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, in Sudan, is worsening and deepening every day, threatening to engulf the entire region.
Balde explained that the influx of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons is pushing host communities to a critical state. With increasing violence in Sudan, people crossing borders in search of safety will find themselves in increasingly dangerous conditions, and urgent action is needed to prevent further deaths and suffering.
Battles between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have been ongoing since mid-April 2023, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands and the displacement of over 10 million people, including two million who have fled across borders, according to the United Nations.
