Humanitarian operations in Sudan have been severely hampered by fierce armed clashes in the country, with one third of the Sudanese needing immediate humanitarian assistance, Brenda Kariuki, the World Food Programme's regional communications officer for Eastern Africa, said on Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th April, 2023) Humanitarian operations in Sudan have been severely hampered by fierce armed clashes in the country, with one third of the Sudanese needing immediate humanitarian assistance, Brenda Kariuki, the World Food Programme's regional communications officer for Eastern Africa, said on Friday.
"As the fighting rages on in parts of Sudan, our humanitarian operations in the country are actually impossible at the time, when a part of the country is in desperate need of assistance. We are hearing of acute shortages of food, water, fuel, medicines and access to health care," Kariuki said at a press briefing in Geneva.
The WFP is calling on all parties to the conflict in Sudan to immediately put down arms, so that humanitarian organizations might deliver on their mandate, she added.
The fighting has forced many people to flee their homes, with 20,000 people having already crossed the border with Chad, and several thousands more having fled to South Sudan, Kariuki also said, adding that the scale of displacement will increase as the crisis escalates.
"The consequences of this crisis could be long-term and the cost of a food basket has already risen by up to 28% across south Sudanese states," she stressed, adding that the WFP will resume its activities in Sudan as soon as security allows.
On Friday morning, a new 72-hour ceasefire went into effect in Sudan, which has somewhat improved the situation, as many civilians have managed to find places of safety. However, the hostilities are still going on, causing destruction and human suffering.
"While a welcomed ceasefire means some reprieve in the fighting, clashes continue to be reported in densely populated areas," Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said at the press conference.
Ethnic-based and inter-communal atrocities are taking place in the country, resulting in the deaths of 96 people since April 24, according to UN estimations, Shamdasani added.
Since mid-April, Sudan has been gripped by intense fighting between the armed forces and the rival paramilitary group, with the epicenter in Khartoum. The parties have introduced a number of temporary nationwide ceasefires since then, but the conflict has not been settled yet. On Thursday, the sides agreed to extend the current ceasefire for another 72 hours.
So far, around 600 people have died in the clashes, the Sudanese Health Ministry said. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization reported over 450 dead and more than 4,000 injured.
