The 9-Month War Made Sudan Decreased, The United Nations Calls 25 Million People Affected Needing Help

Illustration- (Levi Meirncy / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The head of UN aid warned that the suffering of the people in Sudan would not get worse as a result of the ongoing war in the country. "Throughout Sudan, nearly 25 million people will need humanitarian assistance by 2024. However, the grim reality is that increasing hostilities make most of those who need this assistance beyond our reach", Martin Griffiths said in a statement quoted by Anadolu via Antara, Friday, December 5. The war, which lasted for nearly nine months, left Sudan slumped and further destroyed from day to day. "Along with the spread of conflict, the suffering of citizens is deepening, humanitarian access is increasingly limited, and hopes are decreasing. This should not be continued." While stressing that increasing violence is also endangering regional stability, Griffiths urged the international community, especially those who have an influence on those involved in the conflict in Sudan, to take "firm and immediate" action to stop fighting and maintain humanitarian operations. "The war has sparked the world's largest evacuation crisis, killing more than seven million people, and 1.4 million of them have crossed into neighboring countries that already accommodate many refugees," he said. "For the people of Sudan, 2023 is the year of suffering. By 2024, the parties in conflict must do three things to end it: protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian access, and stop fighting immediately," he added. Sudan has been hit by war between the army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who is the head of the ruling Sovereignty Council, and the Fast Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group. At least 12,260 victims have died and more than 33 thousand injured in the conflict, according to UN calculations.

The humanitarian crisis continued to worsen as nearly 6.8 million people fled their homes seeking safety in Sudan or in neighboring countries. Several ceasefire agreements brokered by mediators from Saudi Arabia and the US failed to end the violence.