UN warns Sudan at catastrophic breaking point

Besides months of conflict, widespread flooding since June displaces over 20,000 people across the country

ADDIS ABABA:

The humanitarian situation in embattled Sudan is at "a catastrophic, cataclysmic breaking point," a UN body said Monday.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) issued a warning as famine and floods "add to the catalogue of challenges" facing millions of people struggling to cope in the world’s largest displacement crisis following 16 months of brutal conflict.

"Make no mistake, these conditions will persist and worsen if the conflict and restrictions on humanitarian access continue,” said Othman Belbeisi, IOM's regional director for Middle East North Africa.

He warned: "Without an immediate, massive, and coordinated global response, we risk witnessing tens of thousands of preventable deaths in the coming months. We are at breaking point, a catastrophic, cataclysmic breaking point."

Famine conditions have been officially reported in the Zamzam camp near Al Fasher in North Darfur, home to half a million displaced people.

The statement noted that nearly 97% of internally displaced persons (IDPs) are in areas with severe food insecurity.

According to the statement, displacement continues to surge, with over 10.7 million people seeking safety within the country. Recent fighting in the southeastern Sennar state alone displaced more than 700,000 people, many of whom had already been forced from their homes in other regions.

In addition to conflict, widespread flooding since June has displaced over 20,000 people across 11 of Sudan’s 18 states, further disrupting humanitarian aid efforts, the statement added.

The IOM stressed that urgent funding is required to scale up the humanitarian response and provide critical food, shelter, and health services to those in desperate need.

Sudan has been mired by fighting between the army, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the ruling Sovereign Council, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

At least 12,260 people have been killed and more than 33,000 injured in the conflict that started in April 2023, according to UN figures.

The humanitarian crisis continues to worsen there, as nearly 6.8 million people have fled their homes seeking safety in Sudan or neighboring countries.