The UN Warns Sudan’s Warring Parties That Darfur Risks Starvation and Death if Aid Isn’t Allowed in
The United Nations food agency has issued a stern warning to the warring factions in Sudan, highlighting the imminent threat of widespread starvation and death in Darfur and other parts of the country unless urgent humanitarian aid is allowed to reach these areas. The World Food Program (WFP) regional spokesperson, Leni Kinzli, has emphasized that the situation in Darfur, where at least 1.7 million people were facing emergency levels of hunger as of December, has likely worsened significantly.
In a virtual press conference hosted from Nairobi, Kinzli pinpointed the escalating crisis in Darfur due to the ongoing conflict that erupted in mid-April 2023. The strife, stemming from tensions between the military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, has spread chaos throughout Sudan, particularly affecting urban areas and Darfur.
The RSF has reportedly taken control of most of Darfur, laying siege to El Fasher, the last holdout in their campaign to control the region. According to Kinzli, El Fasher is facing dire conditions, with civilians trapped and struggling to escape the violence that includes RSF bombings and shelling. The fighting has not only placed civilian lives at risk but has severely impacted agriculture in Darfur, with staple cereal production plummeting to 78% below the five-year average.
Kinzli has warned of the imminent lean season, typically starting in May, which has begun earlier this year, exacerbating food shortages. Accounts from locals, like a farmer in El Fasher, depict a grim scenario where families have already depleted their food reserves, relying on day-to-day subsistence. Disturbingly, Kinzli shared reports of severely malnourished children and elderly individuals among displaced populations, with deaths from malnutrition already being recorded. People have resorted to consuming grass and peanut shells in the absence of proper food, a harrowing sign of the desperation the conflict has induced.
The WFP spokesperson has called for immediate international diplomatic efforts to secure humanitarian access and safety for aid workers and supplies. The conflict has not only led to a catastrophic hunger crisis in Sudan but threatens to escalate into the world’s largest hunger crisis, affecting nearly 28 million people across Sudan, South Sudan, and Chad.
Efforts by the WFP to deliver aid have been hampered by restrictions, including the revocation of permission to use certain border crossings and security threats that have made routes like the one from the Chadian town of Tina to North Darfur infeasible. The recent killing of two drivers for the International Committee of the Red Cross in South Darfur, alongside injuries to three ICRC staff members, underscores the perilous conditions for aid workers in the region.
With the onset of the rainy season, which renders many roads impassable, the WFP’s ability to deliver aid is further constrained. Despite having 8,000 tons of food supplies ready in Chad, logistical and bureaucratic obstacles continue to prevent these much-needed supplies from reaching Darfur.
Kinzli implores for unrestricted access and security assurances to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The ability to use critical border crossings and move aid across conflict lines is crucial for reaching those in desperate need in Darfur and beyond, underscoring the urgency of the situation and the critical role of international support in addressing this humanitarian crisis.
