The humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan, is worsening

 

The humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan, is worsening, with people forced to eat "grass and peanut shells" due to a severe hunger crisis, according to the United Nations. The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that time is running out to prevent widespread starvation and death in the region.

The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has displaced over 8.7 million people, including 4.6 million children, and 24.8 million people are in need of assistance. The situation in Darfur is particularly dire, with over 1.7 million people experiencing emergency levels of hunger.

The WFP has reported that food assistance deliveries in Darfur have been intermittent due to fighting and bureaucratic hurdles. The latest escalation of violence around El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, has halted aid convoys coming from the Tine border crossing, a recently opened humanitarian corridor.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has also been affected by the violence, with two staff members killed and three injured in an attack on Thursday. The ICRC team was on its way to assess the crisis among communities affected by armed violence in the region.

The UN has reported that El Fasher is the only city in Darfur that has not been captured by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and it hosts thousands of people who have been displaced by the war. At least 500,000 of those sheltering in the city have been displaced from violence elsewhere in Sudan.

The situation in El Fasher is critical, with increasing arbitrary killings, systematic burning of entire villages, and escalating air bombardments. At least 43 people have been killed in and around the city since the escalation of fighting two weeks ago, and over 36,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in recent weeks.

The UN has called for urgent action to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur. The WFP has warned that if assistance does not reach the affected populations soon, widespread starvation and death will ensue.

The international community must act quickly to address the crisis in Sudan. The restrictions imposed by authorities in Port Sudan must be lifted to allow for the transportation of relief aid, and the violence must be brought under control to allow for the safe delivery of assistance.

The people of Darfur are facing unimaginable suffering, and it is our responsibility to act. We must do everything in our power to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and ensure that the people of Darfur receive the assistance they so desperately need.