SPLM’s al-Hilu declares famine in the two areas
Kauda, August 14(Darfur 24)
The civilian authority of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, also known as SPLM’s al-Hilu, has declared a famine in the Nuba Mountains and New Funj areas
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, which has been fighting the central government in Khartoum since 2011, warned of a humanitarian crisis that threatens the lives of millions of people in the areas that fall under its jurisdiction.
The Nuba Mountains region is located in southern Sudan and covers an area of approximately 138,000 square kilometers, while the New Funj region covers an area of 83,500 square kilometers in southeastern Sudan.
In a statement obtained by Darfur 24, the first secretary of the civilian authority, Arno Ngutulu Lodi, said that the two regions have been suffering from continuous marginalization since 1956, which led to the eruption of armed movements in the region such as the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, explaining that the ongoing war since 2011, in addition to the outbreak of fighting in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), contributed to the exacerbation of the situation, which led to the destruction of the fragile agricultural infrastructure and the deterioration of livelihoods.
The statement added that “the causes of the famine are due to the failure of the 2024 agricultural season, the shortage of seeds and fuel, the spread of locusts and the lack of rain, in addition to the outbreak of measles in New Funj, and the aerial bombardment by the Sudanese Armed Forces.
The crisis was exacerbated by the Port Sudan government selling the humanitarian aid that allocated to the two areas and the influx of displaced persons who shared the limited food stock with the host communities.”
He explained that more than 20% of families in the two areas are now suffering from severe food shortages, while more than 30% of children are suffering from malnutrition.
The civil authority of the new Sudan called on all national and international humanitarian organizations to intervene urgently to save the lives of those affected.