UN experts accuse Sudan's warring parties of using starvation as a weapon
- Human rights experts from the United Nations have accused Sudan's warring factions of employing starvation as a tool of war.
- Concerns are rising about the possibility of famine in Sudan due to this alleged war tactic.
- The use of starvation as a weapon is being condemned by the international community.
In a damning report released by human rights experts at the United Nations, Sudan's warring factions have been accused of weaponizing starvation, leading to a looming famine crisis in the country. The conflict, which erupted in April last year between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces, has resulted in over 14,000 deaths and 33,000 injuries, with reports of widespread sexual violence and other atrocities that may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. The experts highlighted that both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are deliberately using food as a tool of war, leading to the starvation of civilians. With humanitarian aid blocked and harvests disrupted due to the ongoing conflict, more than 25 million Sudanese civilians, including refugees, are facing severe food shortages and require urgent assistance. A recent report warned that up to 2.5 million people in Sudan could perish from hunger by September, with regions like Darfur and Kordofan being particularly vulnerable. Local efforts to address the hunger crisis have been severely impeded by escalating violence and targeted attacks on humanitarian workers and volunteers. Activists and local responders have been subjected to arrests, threats, and prosecution, further jeopardizing aid operations and putting millions at risk of starvation. The experts, part of the Special Procedures within the UN Human Rights system, called on both sides of the conflict to cease obstructing, looting, and exploiting humanitarian assistance to prevent further suffering among the vulnerable population. The situation in Sudan has led to a mass exodus, with at least 143,000 people forced to flee el-Fasher in the past three months, according to the UN. The ongoing conflict and deliberate starvation tactics employed by the warring parties have created a dire humanitarian crisis, necessitating urgent international intervention to prevent a catastrophic loss of life in the country.