The famine in one of the huge camps for displaced people in Sudan’s Darfur region is spiraling out of control as the warring groups in the country continue to block aid. US officials warned on Friday that this catastrophe could be worse than other major famines of recent years, like thirteen years ago.
As a consequence of the latter’s confirmation of starvation by international experts in Famine Review Committee for at least one of three giant make-shift sites hosting up to 600 thousand war-displaced people which had escalated into full-fledged famine, calls towards ceasefire and humanitarian access all over Sudan have been intensified by USAID, UN World Food Program, INGOs and government bodies concerned with such activities.
On Friday two American officials gave their own assessments anonymously under the terms set for this particular background briefing after famine declaration that only mean it was the third event of its kind in twenty year history of Famine Review Committee.
One US official said that the worst nightmares of humanitarians are coming true through food and other assistance being blocked by South Sudanese rebel forces who are fighting each other inside Zamzam camp.
In April 2023 there was an outbreak of conflict in Northern Africa when two rival generals who had both enjoyed international support suddenly began fighting over who would govern Sudan’s capital. At that time Khartoum city was still under civilian transition regime anticipated by most Sudanese to bring stability to their nation-state.
One faction involved was Janjaweed militias who emerged as Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which were responsible for large scale attacks, rapes and forceful displacement throughout Darfur in 2003.
While Ukraine, Gaza Strip and wider Middle East grabbed much attention globally; The war in Sudan quickly became world’s worst humanitarian emergency ever recorded. Last month United Nations revealed that due to violence 10.7 million people were dislocated including almost entire population suffering from severe malnutrition if compared with the last war.
