Date: 15/11/2023
By: Ahmed Gabr
Sudan Today marks another grim milestone in the conflict there: It has been 100 days since the fighting erupted – unleashing nightmarish violence that has killed and injured thousands of civilians and displaced millions more. UNICEF says that, on average, more than one child has been killed or injured every hour since the fighting began. That’s based on credible reports that at least 435 children have been killed and more than 2,000 injured in the past 100 days. As these are just the numbers reported to UNICEF sources, the true figure is likely to be far higher. Meanwhile, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is sounding the alarm about the rapidly escalating numbers of displaced people in Sudan who are fleeing in search of safety. UNHCR is also warning of a serious health and nutrition crisis unfolding in White Nile State – where their teams on the ground say nearly 300 South Sudanese refugee children have died from suspected measles and malnutrition since the conflict began. Sudan is one of the most complicated humanitarian responses in the world right now. Still, we and our humanitarian partners are doing everything we can to respond to the crisis – despite the continued fighting and access restrictions. For their part, the World Food Programme (WFP) has supported more than 1.4 million people across Sudan with food and nutrition assistance so far – but hopes to scale up assistance to support 5.9 million conflict-affected people in Sudan by the end of this year. WFP warns that over 40 per cent of Sudan’s population – that’s more than 19 million people – are now facing hunger due to the conflict. This is the highest number ever recorded in Sudan. One hundred days of fighting have exacted a devastating toll on the civilian population. It is a senseless conflict, and it must stop now. Afghanistan We are responding to massive flash flooding in the central and eastern regions of the country. During a field mission to the affected area today, OCHA staff met with authorities and partners to coordinate assessments and mobilize the humanitarian response. The floods have reportedly killed at least 37 people, with as many injured, in Kabul and Maidan Wardak provinces. Provincial authorities say dozens of homes are damaged, and some 500 acres of agricultural land have been washed away in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces. Syria We are working with our humanitarian partners to continue providing essential supplies and services to people in the north-west. Today, there were two inter-agency missions from southern Türkiye to north-west Syria via the Bab al-Salam crossing. This included a monitoring visit by the World Health Organization to mental health facilities. WHO also held discussions with health workers at a general hospital. Ukraine The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, is in Odesa today. Right now, she is wrapping up a visit to the World Heritage Historic Centre and the Transfiguration Cathedral joined by Odesa’s Mayor and the Governor of the Odesa Region. Ms. Brown regrets that the number of attacks directly impacting civilians and infrastructure in Ukraine appears to be increasing again, adding to the massive destruction already caused by the war. This escalation is also impacting humanitarian assistance, particularly in areas close to the front line. Yesterday, another strike damaged a cultural centre that had been serving as a humanitarian facility in Chasiv Yar, in the Donetsk region. No one was injured but the facility is now inoperable and vital relief items and medical supplies have been destroyed. This is the fourth attack impacting humanitarian assistance in Ukraine in July alone, following tragic incidents that damaged aid facilities and assets in the Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. Civilian infrastructure, including humanitarian facilities, is protected under international humanitarian law and must be respected.