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Tag: Sudan humanitarian crisis

  • Sudan War Horror: Trapped Reporter Receives Three Years of Messages After Escaping Siege

    Sudan War Horror: Trapped Reporter Receives Three Years of Messages After Escaping Siege

    A Sudanese journalist has revealed the devastating human toll of the ongoing war in Sudan, describing how he received three years’ worth of messages at once after finally regaining phone access following a prolonged communications blackout.

    Mohamed Suleiman, who had been trapped in the besieged city of El Fasher, said his phone remained silent throughout most of the conflict, which began in April 2023 after a violent power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

    After reaching Port Sudan in January, Suleiman inserted a SIM card and was overwhelmed as his device flooded with years of missed calls and messages—many from friends and colleagues who had assumed he was dead.

    The war, now entering its fourth year, has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Fighting that began in Khartoum quickly spread nationwide, with the western region of Darfur experiencing some of the most intense violence.

    Suleiman described life under siege in El Fasher as suffocating, with civilians cut off from communication and unable to call for help amid relentless bombardments and shortages of food, water, and medical care. He recounted scenes of extreme suffering as people attempted to flee the city during its fall to RSF forces, with many unable to assist the wounded due to the scale of the crisis.

    The communications blackout not only isolated residents but also prevented journalists from documenting events. Suleiman said attempting to report the truth carried deadly risks, as both sides of the conflict suspected journalists of espionage or collaboration.

    The conflict has displaced millions of people, forcing many to flee their homes across Darfur and beyond. Humanitarian agencies have warned of famine conditions in some areas, while diplomatic efforts led by the United States have so far failed to secure a ceasefire.

    Despite international awareness, Suleiman believes the full scale of the atrocities remains largely unseen by the outside world due to limited access and reporting restrictions.

    As the war drags on, his account underscores the severe impact of isolation in conflict zones, where the absence of communication can be as life-threatening as the violence itself.

  • Tragic Escalation in Sudan Conflict: Airstrikes Claim Lives of 13 Children in North Darfur

    Tragic Escalation in Sudan Conflict: Airstrikes Claim Lives of 13 Children in North Darfur

    The violent conflict between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in North Darfur has claimed the lives of at least 13 children, with four others left injured, according to a statement from UNICEF. The children, aged between 6 and 17, were caught in the crossfire of a brutal escalation in the ongoing war, which has ravaged the country since April 2023.

    The tragic incident occurred last Friday when the Sudanese army launched airstrikes targeting a market in the town of Al Kuma, approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) east of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. Local reports from the Daily Sudan Post indicate that the strikes caused widespread devastation in the region, further deepening the humanitarian crisis.

    The airstrikes, which also struck the nearby city of Mellit, resulted in at least 45 additional deaths and left dozens injured. Human rights groups, including the Central Observatory for Human Rights and the Sudan Tribune, have condemned the military actions, calling for immediate international intervention to halt the indiscriminate targeting of civilian areas.

    Mohammed H. al-Ta’ishi, a former member of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, reported that areas like Hamrat al-Sheikh in North Kordofan, which had previously been untouched by the conflict, were also hit by military strikes over the weekend. Al-Ta’ishi expressed concern about the widening scope of the war, which now threatens previously peaceful regions.

    The conflict in Sudan began in the capital, Khartoum, in April 2023 but has since spread across the country, with Darfur experiencing some of the most severe violence. Darfur, a region already scarred by years of ethnic conflict and humanitarian strife, has seen relentless fighting between the Sudanese military and the RSF, both of which are vying for control of strategic locations.

    UNICEF’s representative to Sudan, Sheldon Yett, condemned the attacks on children, calling them “unacceptable” and emphasizing the profound impact the conflict is having on the country’s youngest and most vulnerable population. “Children have no role to play in wars or civil conflicts, but they are suffering the most as the conflict in Sudan grinds on,” Yett said. He stressed that children should be protected, whether in their homes, neighborhoods, or the streets and should not be victims of war.

    The United Nations has estimated that the ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of 20,000 people and left thousands more injured. The war has also displaced more than 10 million people, with 2.4 million fleeing to neighboring countries. As the humanitarian situation worsens, international agencies are struggling to assist those affected, and there are growing calls for a ceasefire to allow aid to reach civilians trapped in the conflict zones.

    Source: Swifteradio