Sudan Faces Famine Risk Amid Escalating Conflict

A global hunger monitor has warned of a realistic chance of famine in 14 areas across Sudan if the ongoing conflict between military factions intensifies. The affected regions include parts of the capital Khartoum, Darfur, Kordofan, and El Gezira State, according to an update from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

As per the latest IPC assessment, approximately 755,000 people in Sudan are facing "catastrophe," the most severe level of extreme hunger. Overall, 8.5 million people, representing 18% of the population, are experiencing food shortages that could lead to acute malnutrition and death or necessitate emergency coping strategies.

The conflict between Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April last year, has spread throughout the country, triggering ethnically driven violence in Darfur and causing the world's largest internal displacement crisis. The IPC's warning suggests that famine could occur with reasonable probability under a worst-case scenario in the 14 identified areas.

The IPC's criteria for declaring a famine include extreme food shortages affecting at least 20% of the population, acute malnutrition in at least 30% of children, and a daily death rate of two people per 10,000 due to starvation, malnutrition, or disease.