At least 239 children have died from severe malnutrition in Sudan’s North Darfur province over the past six months, as ongoing conflict and a worsening humanitarian crisis restrict access to food and medical supplies, a Sudanese medical organization said on Monday.
The Sudan Doctors Network, a civilian-run medical group, said in a statement that the deaths occurred in and around El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, which has been under siege for more than a year amid heavy fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The group cited a combination of food shortages, rising prices, medicine scarcity, and attacks on nutrition centers as key drivers of the child mortality crisis.
“Immediate action is needed to open humanitarian corridors, allow the delivery of emergency aid and medical supplies, and lift the siege that has gripped El Fasher for over a year,” the statement said, calling on the international community to pressure the RSF to accept a ceasefire.
The United Nations has proposed a one-week humanitarian truce to facilitate aid deliveries to civilians trapped by the fighting. The Sudanese Armed Forces have agreed to the proposal, according to official statements, but the RSF has not yet publicly responded.
The ongoing war between the army and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has plunged Sudan into a protracted humanitarian emergency, with millions displaced and widespread shortages of food, clean water, and medical care across several regions, particularly in Darfur.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that children are among the most vulnerable populations, with aid groups often unable to reach conflict zones due to insecurity and administrative barriers.
The United Nations and several humanitarian agencies have called for unimpeded access to affected areas, warning that the situation in Sudan could escalate into one of the world’s worst food crises if left unaddressed.
