More than 16 months of war in Sudan have claimed over 20,000 lives, according to a senior United Nations official, highlighting the severe toll of a conflict that has devastated the northeastern African nation.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), revealed this grim figure during a news conference in Port Sudan, the Red Sea city currently serving as the seat of the internationally recognized, military-backed government. He warned that the actual death toll could be even higher.
“Sudan is enduring a perfect storm of crisis,” Tedros said after his two-day visit. “The scale of this emergency is shocking, and the inadequate response to mitigate the conflict is equally concerning.”
Sudan plunged into chaos in April last year when escalating tensions between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into full-scale warfare. The fighting has ravaged the capital, Khartoum, and other urban centers, severely damaging civilian infrastructure and overwhelming an already fragile healthcare system. Many hospitals and medical facilities have been forced to shut down due to the lack of essential resources.
The World’s Largest Displacement Crisis
The conflict has sparked the largest displacement crisis globally, with over 13 million people forced from their homes, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). This includes more than 2.3 million who have sought refuge in neighboring countries.
The violence has been characterized by mass atrocities, including widespread rape and ethnically driven killings, which the United Nations and human rights groups have condemned as war crimes and crimes against humanity. On Friday, UN-backed investigators called for the establishment of an “independent and impartial force” to protect civilians, holding both warring parties responsible for crimes such as murder, mutilation, and torture.
Compounded by Natural Disasters
Devastating seasonal floods have further worsened the situation in Sudan in recent weeks. Local authorities report that dozens of people have died and critical infrastructure has been destroyed across 12 of Sudan’s 18 provinces.
A cholera outbreak has added to the country’s woes, with the health ministry reporting at least 165 deaths and 4,200 cases in its latest update on Friday.
“We are calling on the world to wake up and help Sudan out of the nightmare it’s living through,” Tedros urged, stressing the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire.
