The United Nations Children International Fund (UNICEF) has said that it received reports that as of 25 April, 190 children have been killed in Sudan fighting, but it’s unable to confirm casualty estimated due to the intensity of the violence.
This was disclosed in a Press Briefing at the United Nations Headquarter in America on Friday, according to the Spokesperson, while added that the humanitarian situation in Sudan is increasingly dire.
He said the World Food Programme (WFP) projected that the number of acutely food insecure people in Sudan will increase by between 2 and 2.5 million people which raises the number to a total of 19 million people in the next three to six months, if the current conflict continues.
The Spokesman added that some states in Sudan are expected to see the highest food insecurity in the coming months, West Darfur, West Kordofan, Blue Nile, Red Sea, and North Darfur.
While the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and partners have announced that US $445 million will be needed to support an estimated outflow of 860,000 refugee, returnees from Sudan in five countries affected by the emergency.
The Spokesman revealed that the UNHCR has launched a data portal that will update new numbers daily of refugee and returnee arrivals in neighbouring countries.
The agency urged neighboring countries to keep their borders open to those fleeing the violence, and also urged countries to allow civilians fleeing Sudan non- discriminatory access to their territories.
“Also to suspend forced returns to Sudan, including of people who have previously had their asylum claims rejected, UN Secretary-General Spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the the start of pre-negotiation talks between representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in Jeddah on May 6th 2023.
According to a statement released on Friday by the Governments of the United States of America and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who welcomed the development of the start of the direct talks.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States urged both parties to take in consideration the interests of the Sudanese nation and its people and actively engage in the talks towards a cease fire.
Also appealed to end the conflict, which will spare the Sudanese people’s suffering and ensure the availability of humanitarian aid to affected areas.
Both countries commended efforts of the countries and organizations that supported these talks, which includes Quad countries (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States).
And the League of Arab States, and the partners from the Trilateral Mechanism (UNITAMS, the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development).
Saudi Arabia and the United States called for the continued, coordinated international support for expanded negotiation process that should include engagement with all Sudanese parties.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is to host the first face-to-face talks on Saturday between the warring armies in Sudan, after several ceasefires broke down.
On Friday reports spoke of continuing clashes in Khartoum. The Sudanese army says the talks aim to address humanitarian issues, while there has been no official RSF comment.
The Sudanese Army forces confirmed it had sent envoys to Jeddah to engage in the talks, which the UN and aid agencies have been pressing for, faced with a dire humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
Nearly three weeks of heavy fighting which has killed hundreds of people and displaced close to 450,000 civilians. Of that total, International Organization for Migration says, more than 115,000 have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.
The Sudan’s army commander Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan – the de facto Sudanese president – is engaged in a bitter power struggle with RSF leader Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti.
