UN: Rhino – The Sudanese capital Khartoum has turned into a “ghost town” after more than two years of heavy fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023, said Edem Wosorno, Director of Operations and Advocacy at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The UN official referred to an unprecedented humanitarian disaster that is “the largest displacement crisis in the world,” with massive destruction of basic services and severe shortages of food, water and health care.

She added that the danger is increasing amid difficulties entering UN buildings due to remnants of war and unexploded ordnance.

The 27-month conflict has killed about 150,000 people and displaced about 15 million, while 30 million of Sudan’s 48 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Wosorno warned of the lack of funding for the crisis, as only 23 percent of the required amount has been received, calling for more support and advocacy to save the lives of millions of Sudanese, while emphasizing the need to end the conflict and protect civilians.

The report highlighted the suffering of children, as the war has forced them into repeated displacement and prevented more than 17 million children from attending school.

According to UNICEF, 3.2 million children under five suffer from malnutrition, and 770,000 children are at risk of acute malnutrition, while more than half of the children have been deprived of basic immunizations, exposing them to preventable diseases.

UNICEF noted that recent funding cuts have forced its partners to scale back their activities, exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation, especially in areas such as Jebel Aulia and Gezira state.