Both sides in Sudan’s brutal civil war are using starvation as a weapon of war, UN experts said Wednesday. War has been raging for over a year between the regular military (SAF) under army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, starting in April 2023. Tens of thousands have died and a humanitarian crisis has ensued.
More than 25 million civilians are in urgent need of aid due to the conflict, causing a looming famine. The SAF and the RSF are using food as a weapon, starving civilians and trapping hundreds of thousands in El-Fasher, Darfur. The situation of hunger and displacement is unprecedented, according to four UN rights experts.
Both sides are accused of blocking, looting, and exploiting humanitarian assistance, hindering local efforts to respond to the crisis. Foreign governments providing support to both parties are accused of being complicit in crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The experts are urging both sides to agree to an immediate ceasefire and inclusive political negotiations. The international community is called upon to accelerate humanitarian action to alleviate the suffering of millions of Sudanese facing famine.
