The United Nations has expressed grave concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan, stating that the already catastrophic situation has deteriorated further since its last Security Council briefing. According to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), nearly two years of conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have caused immense suffering and transformed parts of the country into a “hellscape.”
OCHA Director of Operations and Advocacy, Edem Wosornu, told the Security Council that over 12 million people have been displaced, including 3.4 million who have fled to neighboring countries. More than half of Sudan’s population, approximately 24.6 million people, is now facing acute hunger. The conflict has also led to a collapse of health services, widespread trauma, and severe disruptions to education, with millions of children cut off from formal schooling. Additionally, the situation has been marked by persistent sexual violence.
In the face of this growing crisis, humanitarian operations in the largest displacement camp, Zamzam, have been suspended due to intense fighting. The camp, which is home to over half a million people, had been relying on aid from organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) for health and nutrition services. MSF announced that it was forced to halt its operations due to deteriorating security conditions. The World Food Programme also confirmed that voucher-based food assistance in the camp has been suspended because of the security situation and the destruction of local markets.
Wosornu called on the Security Council to take immediate action to ensure that all parties adhere to international humanitarian law and that civilians, especially those in displacement camps, are protected from further harm. She also highlighted reports from the UN Human Rights Office about summary executions occurring in areas that have changed hands, raising concerns about potential war crimes.
In response, Sudanese Ambassador Al-Harith Idriss reaffirmed the Sudanese government’s commitment to facilitating humanitarian assistance and stated that the government is working on addressing the country’s political future amidst the ongoing conflict.
