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| Conflict in Sudan has forced millions of people to flee their homes. (Source: Reuters) |
Senior United Nations officials on August 5 called for increased funding to help some 14 million children in Sudan as fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) passed the 100-day mark.
According to the United Nations, there are currently a total of 24 million people in Sudan in need of assistance.
Ted Chaiban, deputy executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for humanitarian operations and supplies, expressed hope that the ongoing talks in Saudi Arabia will lead to an end to hostilities.
The conflict threatens the lives and futures of children and youth, who make up more than 70 percent of Sudan's population.
According to Mr. Chaiban, nearly 14 million children are in dire need of humanitarian aid, equivalent to the number of children in Colombia, France, Germany or Thailand. About 1.7 million of them have been forced to leave their homes, adding to the estimated 2 million who were displaced before the crisis.
In addition, 3 million Sudanese children under the age of 5 are malnourished, with 700,000 of them at risk of severe acute malnutrition and death. About 1.7 million children may not have access to essential vaccines, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said it has provided humanitarian assistance to at least 2.5 million people in the past three months. However, it aims to assist around 18 million people and is now in need of additional financial support from international partners.
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