SARHO launches an urgent humanitarian appeal to save millions from a humanitarian disaster.

The Sudanese Agency for Relief and Humanitarian Operations (SARHO) has launched an urgent appeal to save millions from the humanitarian disaster in Darfur, Kordofan, and areas controlled by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).

In a press release on Wednesday, the agency stated that its a critical moment that necessitates intervention, noting that the issuance of this urgent humanitarian appeal, is driven by its ethical and humanitarian obligation.

The statement added, “These conditions demand an urgent, unified humanitarian response, with immediate scale-up of resources and field support to prevent a total collapse.”

Urgent Appeal

The Sudanese Agency for Relief and Humanitarian Operations (SARHO) appealed to all United Nations agencies and international humanitarian organizations, the African Union, the League of Arab States and Arab humanitarian funds, international and regional donors, the African Union, regional coordination bodies, national NGOs and community-based organizations, the private sector and philanthropic institutions, in addition to, friends of Sudan and global humanitarian partners.

The Sudanese Relief Agency shared in its statement that the window of opportunity to prevent famine and total collapse is rapidly closing.

The Sudanese Agency urged immediate action without delay, noting that millions of lives are at risk. As every hour of inaction results in more hunger, more deaths, and more irreversible suffering.

Adding that, “Sudan cannot wait. The displaced cannot wait. Darfur, Kordofan, and (SPLM-N) controlled territories cannot wait.”

Humanitarian Corridors

Furthermore, in its statement, (SARHO) issued a special appeal to the parties to the conflict, represented by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), to open safe humanitarian corridors in North Darfur and to ensure the protection of humanitarian and relief personnel.

It also called on the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) -party to the conflict as well- to allow civilians to leave conflict zones, facilitate evacuations, and ensure the safety of humanitarian workers.

The agency added, “Act now—not later, because life doesn’t wait.”

Frightening Statistics

The Sudanese Agency went on to state that Sudan is facing one of the most severe humanitarian disasters in its contemporary history. As the conflict enters its second year since its outbreak in (April 2023), the humanitarian situation in Sudan is witnessing a sharp and accelerating deterioration, with a widespread collapse of basic services and an unprecedented deterioration threatening the lives of millions of civilians and causing widespread destruction to the social fabric and basic services.

The statement revealed that by (2025), more than (30.4 million) people —more than half the country’s population— will be in dire need of life-saving humanitarian assistance, including (16 million) children, who represent both the present and the future of the nation.

New statistics revealed that (14.3 million) non-host populations (47%)

(8.9 million) internally displaced persons (IDPs) (29%).

(6.4 million) host community members (21%).

(890,000) refugees (3%). In addition, more than (50% )of those affected are children, and (50%) are women and girls.

Insecurity

The statement noted that acute food insecurity has more than tripled since the beginning of the conflict, now threatening the majority of the population.

A famine has been confirmed and officially documented in parts of Sudan, particularly North Darfur, while millions in Darfur, Kordofan, and Khartoum states remain on the brink of starvation.

It emphasized that since (April 2023), more than (12 million) people have been displaced, (8.8 million) of whom are still on Sudanese territory, and more than (3.2 million) have fled to neighboring countries —making this one of the largest displacement crises globally in less than two years.

Moreover, the conflict has had a catastrophic impact on children, with (24 million) affected and (17 million) out of school, foreshadowing a generational catastrophe.

The statement added, “Gender-based violence rates have also increased by (80%) compared to the previous year, with more than (12.2 million) people now vulnerable to this type of abuse, most of them women and children.”

The statement issued by (SARHO) shared that, since the onset of the conflict, more than (120) humanitarian workers have been killed, injured, or abducted, which is a serious indicator of the deteriorating humanitarian environment and the fragility of the humanitarian intervention infrastructure, necessitating -in turn- immediate and reinforced response measures.

It noted that the recent waves of displacement are concentrated in the states of Kordofan and Darfur, in addition to areas under the control of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, which are now hosting hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing Khartoum and Al-Jazeera due to ethnic targeting and large-scale violence against civilians.

Evacuation of Displaced Persons

The Sudanese Relief Agency considered North Darfur, particularly the areas of Zamzam, Abu Shouk, and El-Fasher, to be among the most affected areas, having recently witnessed extensive military operations and the large-scale forced displacement of tens of thousands of civilians.

The Sudanese Agency added that tens of thousands of families were evacuated to safer areas within North Darfur by the Sudan Founding Alliance Forces, with the provision of minimum basic needs and the safe access of survivors guaranteed. The displacement has spread to Central, South, and West Darfur states, placing unprecedented pressure on host communities and collapsing what remains of local response capacity.