Rights chief Turk warns of ‘explosion into chaos’ as famine strikes deeper
Sudan is teetering on the edge of catastrophe, with more than 600,000 people on the brink of starvation, the United Nations (UN) has warned. The devastating conflict, which has raged for nearly a year, has plunged the nation into what is now the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, according to UN human rights chief Volker Turk.
Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday, Turk warned that famine had taken hold in at least five areas across Sudan, including Zamzam refugee camp in North Darfur, where aid agencies were forced to suspend operations earlier this week due to escalating violence. The situation, he stressed, is dire:
“Sudan is a powder keg, on the verge of a further explosion into chaos, and at increasing risk of atrocity crimes and mass deaths from famine,” he said.
He urged immediate action to halt the war, deliver emergency aid, and revive agricultural production before the crisis worsens. Turk also cautioned that famine could spread to five more areas in the coming three months, while 17 additional regions remain at high risk.
Aid operations suspended amid escalating violence
On Monday, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) halted its work in Zamzam camp, a sprawling settlement where half a million people have sought refuge from the fighting. The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) followed suit on Wednesday, as clashes between Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group intensified.
The WFP had been feeding around 300,000 displaced residents in Zamzam but had only been able to reach about 60,000 this month before the security situation deteriorated further. A recent artillery strike destroyed the camp’s central market, leaving thousands without access to food and essential supplies.
Meanwhile, satellite imagery analysed by the UN has confirmed that heavy weapons have been used in and around Zamzam camp in recent weeks. Edem Wosornu, the UN humanitarian operations director, told the UN Security Council on Wednesday that the situation was rapidly worsening, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence.
The Zamzam camp is just 12 kilometres (6.5 miles) south of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, where the RSF has been battling for control for months.
‘An endless cycle of violence’
The war, which erupted in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 12 million people. This makes Sudan home to the world’s largest displacement crisis, with millions forced to flee to refugee camps and neighbouring countries.
Turk also warned that recent moves by the RSF to establish its own governing structures in areas it controls could deepen political divisions and prolong the conflict. Meanwhile, 30.4 million people across Sudan—more than half the population—now require humanitarian assistance, including food, clean water, and medical care.
However, Sudan’s healthcare system has collapsed, with fewer than 30% of hospitals and clinics still operational. A surge in diseases, combined with the worsening famine, has only compounded the suffering.
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Cholera outbreak spreads amid water shortages
One of the gravest concerns for aid agencies is the cholera outbreak, which is surging in the White Nile state in southern Sudan. The disease has already killed at least 70 people and infected more than 2,200, according to Save the Children.
The outbreak followed a drone strike on the Um Dabakar power station, which disrupted access to clean water in the city of Kosti, forcing thousands to rely on contaminated sources. The situation is exacerbating an already fragile health crisis, with the country having recorded more than 55,000 cholera cases and over 1,400 deaths since August last year.
“Children in Sudan are caught in an endless cycle of violence, disease, and hunger, with devastating impact,” said Mohamed Abdiladif, Save the Children’s country director for Sudan.
What lies ahead?
The international community has repeatedly called for an end to hostilities, but peace efforts have faltered amid deep-seated tensions between Sudan’s army and the RSF. While there have been diplomatic attempts to broker ceasefires, none have held long enough to allow sustained humanitarian relief.
With famine tightening its grip and conflict escalating, Sudan’s future remains dangerously uncertain. Without urgent intervention, the country risks falling further into chaos, and millions of lives hang in the balance.
