In a stark reminder of the devastating impact of the Sudanese conflict, an alarming number of children are being born into a world of strife and despair. Save the Children has reported that, on average, three infants are born in Sudan every minute, amidst the relentless war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This grim reality comes as the conflict, now in its third year, shows no signs of abating.
The charity’s findings reveal that since April 2023, when the war commenced, 5.6 million babies have been born in Sudan. This means that approximately 5,000 children are entering the world each day under dire circumstances, where millions are barely surviving on a single meal per day.
Mohamed Abdiladif, Save the Children’s country director in Sudan, highlighted the dire conditions these newborns face: “These children are born in overcrowded shelters, under-equipped or damaged health facilities, or while their families are on the move.”Despite the hardships, Abdiladif emphasized that “children have a right to receive care and protection, even in conflict.”The conflict’s origins can be traced back to April 15, 2023, when tensions between Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti “Dagalo escalated into full-scale war. Since then, the fighting has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced millions, and led to what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
The situation has been exacerbated by both sides’alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly in the Darfur region, where the RSF has been accused of committing atrocities that some UN experts believe are indicative of genocide.
The conflict has severely strained Sudan’s already fragile healthcare system. Save the Children notes that the rate of maternal deaths during childbirth has surged by over 12 percent, from 263 per 100,000 live births in 2022 to 295 per 100,000 in 2025. Up to 80 percent of health facilities in conflict-affected areas are nonoperational, and those that remain open are addressing shortages of supplies, medicine, staff, and fuel.
The World Health Organization has verified over 200 attacks on health facilities since the war began, resulting in more than 2,000 deaths. A tragic incident in March, when a drone strike on the al-Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur killed at least 64 people, including 13 children and several healthcare workers, serves as a harrowing example of the perilous state of Sudan’s medical facilities.
Abdiladif calls on all parties involved in the conflict to ensure the protection of civilians and to facilitate access to families in urgent need of assistance. The ongoing conflict in Sudan continues to claim lives, especially the most vulnerable members of society, leaving behind a trail of pain and sorrow.
Source: aljazeera
Original author: Al Jazeera Staff
