The United Nations (UN) has issued a stern warning, cautioning that the civil conflict in Sudan is spiralling out of control.
According to reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the year-long strife in the North East African nation has resulted in a staggering toll of at least 16,000 deaths, with 33,000 individuals sustaining injuries. Additionally, an alarming nine million people have been displaced, with the spectre of famine looming ominously.
The WHO also reveals that a third of Sudanese residing in the capital, Khartoum, and the Darfur region are grappling with acute food shortages.
Moreover, the number of malnourished children under the age of five, along with pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, has surged from 3.9 million to 4.9 million.
The genesis of this bloody conflict lies in the power struggle between the forces of Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, an army general who effectively leads Sudan, and his former deputy, Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, engaged in separate phone conversations with both leaders, emphasising the imperative of peace negotiations and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid in the impoverished nation. He implored them to curb the atrocities perpetrated by their respective troops.
According to Türk’s spokeswoman, both parties concurred on the necessity to uphold humanitarian law. However, discussions regarding proposals for peace talks or a direct meeting between the factions did not transpire.