More than 16 months of ongoing warfare in Sudan has resulted in the deaths of over 20,000 individuals, according to a senior official from the United Nations. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organization, disclosed this alarming statistic during a press briefing in Port Sudan, the Red Sea city that houses the internationally recognized, military-backed government. He expressed concerns that the actual death toll could be even higher.
Tedros emphasized the dire situation in Sudan, describing it as a “perfect storm of crisis” as he concluded his two-day visit to the country. The conflict erupted in April last year following escalating tensions between the military and the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary group, leading to widespread warfare throughout Sudan. The violence has transformed urban areas like Khartoum into battlegrounds, causing extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and further crippling the already fragile healthcare system.
The repercussions of the conflict have been devastating, with millions of individuals displaced – making it the largest displacement crisis globally. The International Organization for Migration reports that over 13 million people have been compelled to abandon their homes since the conflict began, including more than 2.3 million who sought refuge in neighboring countries.
Atrocities like mass rape and ethnically motivated killings, deemed as war crimes and crimes against humanity by the U.N. and international rights organizations, have been prevalent throughout the fighting. Human rights investigators backed by the U.N. have urged the establishment of an “independent and impartial force” to safeguard civilians, holding both sides accountable for atrocities such as murder, mutilation, and torture.
The already dire situation in Sudan has been exacerbated by devastating floods in recent weeks, resulting in numerous fatalities and destruction of critical infrastructure across 12 of the country’s 18 provinces. Adding to the crisis is a cholera outbreak, which has claimed the lives of at least 165 individuals and afflicted approximately 4,200 others in recent weeks, as reported by the health ministry.
Tedros made a fervent plea to the international community to intervene and help Sudan emerge from the nightmare it is currently experiencing. He stressed the urgent necessity for an immediate ceasefire, asserting that peace is the ultimate remedy for the country’s afflictions.