One in two Sudanese children exposed to war

At least 10 million children in Sudan – one in two – have been exposed to the dangers of living in an active war zone, including battles, bombings, mortar shelling, airstrikes, and attacks on civilians, according to a new joint analysis by Save the Children and ACLED. This represents a 60% increase since the first month of the conflict, which erupted in 2023 due to a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, the leader of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Sudan is the world’s largest child displacement crisis, with 4 million children displaced internally and across borders, and more than 13 million children in need of humanitarian aid. According to UNICEF, widespread malnutrition, a poor health system, and acute food insecurity are more deadly than the ongoing conflict. MSF says that international neglect and political obstacles are hindering aid delivery even as an increase in aid is urgently needed to prevent famine and further catastrophe. In February, aid organisation leaders from the International Rescue Committee, Save the Children, the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Danish Refugee Council, CARE USA, and Plan International wrote about how the deafening silence of the international community on Sudan is impacting aid and lives. Here's another opportunity to read it.