The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for the humanitarian assistant to over eight million people displaced due to the ongoing fighting between Sudanese Army and Paramilitary Rafid Support Forces, warning that the consequence of the conflict could last for decades if no action is urgently taken.
ICRC has also called on conflicting parties in Sudan to respect the rules of war.
The public relations officer, ICRC Nigeria Aliyu Dawobe disclosed this in a statement sent to journalist including GLOBAL TRACKER correspondent.
He said the president of ICRC Mirjana Spoljaric has recently visited Sudan on the committee’s efforts to address the critical situation faced by million of Sudanese.
It said the ICRC teams receive hundreds of messages, calls and Emails from people looking for their loved ones lost as a result of the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
“The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is first and foremost stemming from the disrespect of the laws of war. Over eight million people have been displaced due to the fighting. They lack access to the most basic services and thousands of them have lost contact with their families. The consequences of the conflict could last for decades if no action is taken urgently,” said Mirjana Spoljaric.
President Spoljaric met with General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the President of the Sovereign Council of Sudan. She stressed the need for closer cooperation to preserve the security and safety of humanitarian actors to reach vulnerable communities in conflict-affected areas.
He said the ICRC remains committed to expanding its humanitarian work across the country for all affected Sudanese.
“Neutral humanitarian action must be protected without exception to avoid a further worsening of the situation. It is the responsibility of all parties to the conflict to create and maintain this space, and it is their obligation under international humanitarian law to ensure the civilian population has access to relief,” she said.
She also met with Mr. Salih El Douma and Mrs. Aida Elsayed, respectively President and Secretary-General of the Sudan Red Crescent Society (SRCS) at the SRCS headquarters in Port Sudan.
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The ICRC and the SRCS provide a wide range of assistance and protection services to millions of vulnerable people but the volatile situation in many parts of the country and access challenges mean many communities bearing the brunt of the conflict do not receive the help they need.
The ICRC alone has registered 3,000 requests from people looking for their loved ones since the start of the conflict in April 2023.