The ongoing civil war in Sudan has cost many lives since the beginning. Not only has the country been in a civil war, but it is currently the country with the largest displacement of civilians.
Hunger in Sudan
It has been roughly 11 months since the recent civil war began in Sudan. The war has been going on between the different
The UN has stated that Sudan is suffering one of the largest hunger crises in the world. Furthermore, according to the UN, there are a reported 14 million young children who lack basic necessities due to the war.
The deputy executive director of UNICEF, Ted Chaiban stated, “The numbers are staggering. Almost 14 million children – a number roughly equivalent to every single child in Colombia, France, Germany, or Thailand – are in dire need of humanitarian support.”
More than a million children have been displaced due to the raging war. The number doesn’t include those who were previously displaced due to the civil war itself. The civilians have been battling not only the civil war but also disease.
Outside of children, there have been roughly eight million people displaced. The lack of necessities has been brought on by the ongoing civil war. This isn’t the first hunger crisis that the country has gone through.
War in Sudan
The civil war in Sudan has been raging and only amping up within the last few months. The conflict has been between Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF) as well as the paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is the leader of the SAF and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo is the leader of the RSF.
The almost year-long conflict has taken the lives of an estimated 14,000 Sudanese. Sudan’s residential areas have essentially been turned into combat fields. The SAF has been accused by the U.S. government of war crimes and bombings of residential areas.
The rebel opposition group, RSF has been accused by the U.S. of ethnic cleansing and other crimes against humanity. Moreover, the RSF and other militia groups have also been reported to hunt and kill young men they believe to be supporters of the Sudanese army. Also, women are reporting rape and other forms of abuse against them.
Both SAF leader al-Burhan and RSF leader Dagalo have worked alongside each other in the past to fight against the regime of the corrupt political leader Omar al-Bashir. Al-Bashir had been president of Sudan from 1993 to 2019. He had come into power when as a general he led a revolution that overthrew the government in 1989.
However, while Omar al-Bashir was serving his term he was accused and convicted of multiple crimes against humanity. A military coup led by Dagalo and al-Burhan would lead to the fall of al-Bashir’s regime.
After the coup, both the SAF and RSF couldn’t agree to the integration of both groups or who would be the leader of the new military. This has led to conflict between both military groups and is still ongoing.
Sudan’s People
Although most of the conflict has been localized within the capital, Khartoum, the violence has leaked out into other parts of the country. This has caused people to flee the country with many escaping to South Sudan.
The massive displacement has put Sudan at number one for the number of people displaced overall, as well as the largest amount of children displaced worldwide. Before the renewal of the inner conflict in April 2023, the Country was already facing difficulties. Sudan had been dealing with political unrest, food scarcity, as well as climate crisis. Furthermore, humanitarian aid has been regularly restricted by certain groups.
The Assessment Capacities Project or, ACAPS has rated the success rate of getting necessary supplies to Sudan’s war-torn environments as extremely difficult, a five out of five. Healthcare has also begun to suffer in Sudan. Due to the violence and lack of distribution of supplies, medical centers have been finding themselves being looted and or attacked. Also, many hospitals are severely understaffed.
Displacement
The rapid displacement of people has also caused a large shortage in the overall workforce. Furthermore, the economic crises Sudan has been facing have brought the value of their dollar down by a whopping 50%.
All the while the country’s inflation is predicted to continue. War afflicted areas have forced at least 19 million children to not be able to attend school.
Sudan has already been dealing with an intense outbreak of cholera, with at least 8,500 people falling victim. As well as measles, which has taken the lives of more than 1,000 children.
Organizations such as the UN and IRC are doing what they can to help resolve the growing humanitarian issue in Sudan.
Written By AriAnna Rathers
Sources:
PBS– How Sudan’s civil war has created a massive hunger crisis
IRC– Crisis in Sudan: What is happening and how to help
USIP– What’s Behind the Fighting in Sudan?
Britannica– Omar al-Bashir
Featured Image Courtesy of UNMISS’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
First Inset Image Courtesy of Coalition for the ICC’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
