The UN fears that hundreds of thousands could starve to death in Sudan – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country

More than half the population faces critical food shortages. That includes more than 9 million who are already in an emergency situation. It is estimated that 756,000 people will face a Category 5 disaster on the famine scale. This is shown by figures from the food safety initiative IPC. It is the highest level, and involves extreme food shortages and high mortality. Denial of famine The military government in the country has previously denied that the country is experiencing a famine. In March last year, fighting broke out between Sudan’s government forces and the militia group RSF in the capital, Khartoum. The violence quickly spread throughout the country. Among other things, this has led to an armed conflict between ethnic groups in Darfur flaring up. Darfur is a region located in the west of Sudan. Since last spring, millions have been forced to flee the country. – We are doing our best to help, but the situation in El-Fasher is chaotic. The whole city is unsafe, and communication is often down. This was said by Michel-Olivier Lacharité, head of emergency aid at Médecins Sans Frontières, on Thursday. The fighting has increased sharply in El-Fasher this spring. In the last month, at least 192 people have been killed and over 1,200 injured, according to Doctors Without Borders In March last year, fighting broke out between Sudan’s government forces and the militia group RSF in the capital, Khartoum. The picture shows RSF soldiers in 2019. Photo: Hussein Malla / AP – The famine is on its way On Thursday, the UN Security Council demanded a halt in the Sudanese RSF militia’s siege of El-Fasher. It is a city in Darfur with 1.8 million inhabitants and internally displaced people. El-Fasher is the last major city in the Darfur region not controlled by the RSF. The city is led by warlord Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The Security Council’s 15 members adopted a draft resolution on Thursday. The resolution calls for an immediate halt to the hostilities in the area. They are also asking for a withdrawal of all combatants who threaten the safety of civilians in El-Fasher KØ: Several waited in line to be given food. The picture is from May this year. Photo: – / AFP 14 out of 15 countries in the Security Council voted for the resolution on Thursday evening, while Russia abstained, writes the AP news agency. The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, says the resolution could not have come at a more precarious time, according to Reuters. – Food, water, medicines and other essentials are about to run out. The famine is on its way, and the threat of a large-scale massacre is great, says Thomas-Greenfield. Investigating war crimes – The situation in Sudan is completely unsustainable, says Development Minister Anne Beathe Kristiansen Tvinnereim (Sp) to NTB. Tvinnereim believes this is the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis. – Even if the TV cameras are not allowed in, the reports from the UN and humanitarian organizations are clear: Horrible abuses are being committed against civilians, and many thousands have been killed. Especially in Darfur, the human suffering is enormous, says the development minister. ON THE RUN: The photo shows women and children in a refugee camp in Zamzam, near El Fasher. The picture is from January 2024. Photo: Mohamed Zakaria / Reuters The International Criminal Court (ICC) has started an investigation into possible war crimes in the area. The allegations of possible war crimes include ethnic cleansing, sexual violence and a series of attacks on hospitals in El-Fasher. Published 14.06.2024, at 07.25 Updated 14.06.2024, at 07.49



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