Port Sudan (ICRC) —Today the International Committee of the Red Cross releases a report on the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Sudan, as the armed conflict that devastated the country is about to hit the two-year mark on April 15. A glaring lack of respect for the principles of international humanitarian law has contributed to this dire crisis, and a drastic reduction in humanitarian funding risks exacerbating it even further.
“The international community cannot turn away from Sudan. Millions of lives and the stability of an entire region are at stake,” said Daniel O’Malley, head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan. “We must step up concerted diplomatic and humanitarian efforts to bring the Sudanese people much-needed relief. Now is the time to invest in respect of international humanitarian law.”
The report outlines some of the concerning trends the ICRC has been observing in the past two years, such as obstruction of emergency healthcare and patterns of attacks on hospitals and other essential civilian infrastructure. Widespread sexual violence and a 66% increase in the number of people searching for their missing loved ones add to the grim picture of the ordeals that Sudanese civilians have endured. The ICRC has received close to 7,700 requests from people trying to locate a missing family member.
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In May 2023, the parties to the conflict stated their commitment to respecting international humanitarian law by signing the Jeddah Declaration, and they must uphold these standards. The protection of civilians and unhindered humanitarian access are not negotiable – they are legal obligations and the only way to avert the worsening of the catastrophe.