Sudan: nearly 755,000 people at risk of famine

After 14 months of conflict, the situation continues to worsen in Sudan. As the risk of famine intensifies, the United Nations is sounding the alarm.  

International experts are pessimistic about the future of war-torn Sudan. In a recent report, the World Food Programme (WFP) warns that 755,000 people will be at risk of starvation in the coming months. Meanwhile, the risk of malnutrition among children continues to rise.  

WFP also says 8.5 million people are facing extreme food shortages after 14 months of conflict in the country.  

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General, sounds the alarm

In the North Darfur region, the only border crossing allowing trucks to deliver food is Tine, Chad, but intensifying fighting makes it almost inaccessible.  

The conflict began with a disagreement between two generals.

The northeastern African country of Sudan descended into chaos in April 2023, when rising tensions between the army, led by General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemetti, sparked a civil war in the capital, Khartoum, and other parts of Sudan. 

This destructive conflict has caused the deaths of more than 14,000 people and left 33,000 injured , according to the United Nations. Human rights activists say the toll could be much higher. This war caused the largest population displacement in the world, with more than 11 million people forced to flee their homes . 

In total, 25.6 million people, or more than half of the country's 47 million population, faced "crisis conditions or worse" between June and September 2023. The report warns of a risk of famine in 14 regions of the country, "if the conflict worsens further, including through increased mobilisation of local militias". 

The conflict has been marked by atrocities that human rights groups say constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. 

In recent months, fighting has spread to new areas, including agricultural centers such as Al Jazirah province, which the Rapid Support Forces have seized.