The situation in Sudan took a terrifying turn on April 15, as violence erupted, forcing civilians to seek shelter from the heavy fighting that has raged on for days.
The toll on human lives continues to grow, and the impact is devastating, with reports of hundreds of civilians wounded and in desperate and urgent need of medical care.
I I saw families with children, crying, horrified, mothers don't know how to manage in such situation."
Our spokesperson Germain Mwehu is in Khartoum, #Sudan.
This is how he described the current situation. pic.twitter.com/bPEfn6fbnE - -- ICRC (@ICRC) April 17, 2023
Hospitals in Khartoum and other parts of the country affected by violence are running out of medical supplies and food. We have received calls from hospitals that have been going for days without electricity and water because electrical water pumps are not functioning. They can no longer provide the most essential services. It is an urgent priority for us to be able to reach these facilities.
We continue calling, bilaterally and publicly, on all parties to the conflict to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. This includes taking all feasible precautions to avoid civilian injuries and loss of life, treat detainees humanely and provide the necessary humanitarian space for the first responders to be able to care for the wounded and collect dead bodies in a dignified manner.
We are deeply worried for people's lives as violence in Sudan continues to escalate and spread. We have seen time and again how civilians pay the highest price when neighbourhoods become battlefields and streets turn into frontlines. They urgently need your support today and in the weeks and months to come.
The latest flare-up of violence deepens a humanitarian crisis in a country that has suffered from years of violence, instability, and economic hardship. In Darfur, more than three million people are displaced. This is out of 3.7 million people displaced across the country. These numbers may rise if fighting continues to spread and intensify.
Food insecurity and malnutrition is already a huge problem in Sudan. The prices of staple goods have soared - up by over 150% as of the end of 2022 - putting food and necessities out of reach for the poorest and most vulnerable.
