A senior United Nations official has revealed that the protracted conflict in Sudan, which has been raging for over 16 months, has claimed more than 20,000 lives. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, shared this alarming statistic during a news conference in Port Sudan, the seat of the internationally recognized military-backed government. He cautioned that the actual death toll might be even higher.
“Sudan is enduring a perfect storm of crisis,” Tedros stated as he concluded his two-day visit to the country. “The scale of the emergency is alarming, and the response has been woefully inadequate.”
The conflict erupted in April of the previous year, triggered by escalating tensions between the military and the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary group. This war has devastated the capital, Khartoum, and other urban centers, severely damaging civilian infrastructure and the already fragile healthcare system. Many hospitals and medical facilities have ceased operations due to the ongoing violence.
Sudan is now grappling with the world’s largest displacement crisis. Over 13 million people have been displaced since the fighting began, with more than 2.3 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries, according to the International Organization for Migration.
The conflict has been marked by severe atrocities, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings, which have been classified as war crimes and crimes against humanity by the UN and international human rights organizations. On Friday, UN-backed human rights investigators called for the establishment of an “independent and impartial force” to protect civilians, citing severe war crimes committed by both sides.
Recent seasonal floods have exacerbated the crisis, causing dozens of deaths and destroying critical infrastructure in 12 of Sudan’s 18 provinces. The country is also battling a cholera outbreak, which has resulted in at least 165 deaths and around 4,200 infections in recent weeks.
Tedros emphasized the urgent need for global intervention to address Sudan’s dire situation. “We urge the world to awaken and assist Sudan in overcoming this nightmare,” he said, underscoring that peace remains the most effective remedy.