Sudan Plunged into Chaos: UN Warns of Escalating Humanitarian Crisis

UNOCHA's Acting Chief Joyce Msuya highlighted escalating violence in Sudan, focusing on Darfur. Famine hits Zamzam camp, and a large-scale humanitarian response is deemed crucial. Msuya urged warring factions to protect civilians and allow aid deliveries. Famine threatens over 1.7 million in North Darfur, with children particularly malnourished.

The United Nations' top humanitarian official has reported an alarming escalation of violence in Sudan, with large-scale fighting impacting Darfur's last holdout capital not under paramilitary control.

Joyce Msuya, Acting Chief of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), told the Security Council that famine has already devastated the Zamzam camp, located 15 kilometers from the besieged North Darfur capital, El Fasher. She stressed the urgency of massive humanitarian intervention, describing the situation as 'a matter of life and death.'

The conflict began in April 2023, when tensions between Sudan's military and paramilitary factions erupted in Khartoum, quickly spreading to other regions including Darfur. The United Nations has reported over 14,000 deaths and 33,000 injuries since the conflict began, highlighting the severe impact on civilians.

(With inputs from agencies.)