Conflict in Sudan: Unicef: Besieged place in the Sudan “Epicentrum of Children’s Leid”

In El Fascher, the capital of the Sudanese region of North-Darfur, which has been besieged for 500 days, children are threatened by acute malnutrition and violence, according to the UN Children’s Aid. “Power nutrition, illnesses and violence demand young human lives every day,” said the organization. El Fascher had become an “epicenter of child suffering”.

Thousands of children treated for malnutrition

Around 260,000 civilians are still there, half of them children. The place from which around 600,000 people have already fled had been cut off from supply routes and aid deliveries for more than 16 months, explained Unicef.

Recently, at least 63 people-including children-died of the consequences of malnutrition within a week, the UN Children’s Aid Work continued, citing reports. Since January, more than 10,000 children have been treated in El Fascher due to acute malnutrition – almost twice as many as in the previous year. Due to scarce supplies, the services should now have been discontinued. Around 6,000 children suffering from extreme malnutrition could therefore no longer be treated and hovered in mortal danger.

More than a thousand children killed or mutilated

Since the beginning of the siege, more than a thousand girls and boys have been killed or mutilated with bombings, for example, the UNICEF announcement said. The organization warned that children would also victims of sexual violence.

Appeal for humanitarian fire break

UNICEF appeals to the Sudanese government and the other parties to conflict to ensure a permanent, unimpeded and safe access to children all over Sudan. This included an immediate and persistent humanitarian fire break in El Fascher and other areas of conflict.

There has been a bloody power struggle in the country in the northeast of Africa since April 2023. El Fascher is the last big city in the western region of Darfur, which is still under government control. The Miliz RSF is accused of numerous human rights crimes, while the government army is accused of bombing civil residential areas.