The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has reached a critical new low, with experts warning that severe malnutrition has hit famine levels in two more areas of Darfur: Um Baru and Kernoi. This dire news comes as the brutal civil war, raging between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), continues to devastate the region and displace millions.
Global food security experts, part of the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), issued an urgent alert after finding alarming rates of acute malnutrition. In Um Baru, a staggering 53% of children under five are acutely malnourished – nearly double the recognized famine threshold. Kernoi isn’t far behind, with almost a third of its young children facing similar catastrophic conditions. These numbers aren’t just statistics; they represent an immediate threat to life, suggesting an increased risk of death for countless innocent people.
While these are alerts, not yet a formal famine declaration, they signal an urgent and rapidly deteriorating situation. This isn’t the first warning; just three months ago, formal famine conditions were confirmed in El-Fasher, Darfur’s capital, and Kadugli. Both Um Baru and Kernoi are near the Chad border and have become refuge for tens of thousands fleeing the conflict, further straining already scarce resources.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and forced nearly 11 million people from their homes. This ongoing conflict is the direct cause of the widespread hunger and fear now gripping the nation. Alarmingly, the IPC warns that 20 additional areas in Darfur and neighboring Kordofan are also teetering on the edge of famine.
The world needs to pay attention. The people of Sudan are enduring unimaginable suffering, and without immediate intervention, the crisis will only deepen.
Source: https://turks.us/famine-conditions-spread-to-more-towns-in-sudans-darfur-experts-warn/
