Rising Child Mortality Due to Famine in Sudan's Displacement Camps

Thirteen children succumbed to food shortages in a displacement camp in Sudan’s East Darfur, highlighting the dire consequences of the ongoing civil war and resulting humanitarian crisis.

In a tragic report from East Darfur, thirteen children tragically lost their lives last month due to severe food shortages at a displacement camp, according to medics from the Sudan Doctors Network. The camp, located in the city of el-Daein and home to around 7,000 people, is grappling with deteriorating humanitarian conditions and widespread malnutrition exacerbated by a civil war that has now entered its third year.

As conflict escalated, famine was first reported last year in western Darfur and has now spread to other regions, creating alarming hunger challenges. The Sudan Doctors Network has urged the international community and humanitarian organizations to provide urgent assistance, particularly food and basic healthcare for vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women.

El-Daein capitalizes in a state entirely controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which is currently embroiled in a power struggle with the army. This prolonged civil war has not only fractured humanitarian distribution but also devastated the economy and social services, pushing millions towards starvation.

Aid organizations are also reporting a rising risk of cholera outbreaks in Darfur, particularly in the city of Tawila, where approximately 1,500 serious suspected or confirmed cases have surfaced since June, stemming from deteriorating sanitation and water infrastructure. Overall, the civil conflict that erupted in earnest in April 2023 has led to one of the worst humanitarian crises in history, displacing over 12 million people and pushing nearly a million to the brink of famine, with ongoing calls for international intervention in the region.