UN estimates 3.2M Sudanese children under 5 will face acute malnutrition in 2025

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - UNICEF issued a dire warning on Friday about the humanitarian crisis in conflict-torn Sudan, warning of "acute malnutrition" for young children.

At a news conference, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that UNICEF estimated 3.2 million children under the age of 5 suffered “from acute malnutrition this year. Of these children, over 700,000 will likely suffer from severe acute malnutrition."

Calling the situation in Sudan the "world's largest child displacement crisis," Dujarric said that 5 million children are “displaced because of the hostilities” and most “leave their families with only the clothes on their bodies."

Dujarric also stated that Sudanese mothers sometimes walk for weeks to find shelter and food, stressing that families and communities are bearing the brunt of the violence.

He warned that barriers to accessing food and essential services would lead to further deaths.

Sudan has been ravaged by fighting between the country's army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group since April 2023.

The fighting has resulted in more than 20,000 deaths and displaced over 14 million people, according to estimates from the UN and local authorities.