A study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine indicates that the death toll from Sudan’s civil war is significantly underestimated, with over 61,000 deaths in Khartoum State alone. The research highlights preventable diseases and starvation as leading causes of death, and over 90% of fatalities remain unrecorded. Meanwhile, the war has created a severe humanitarian crisis, displacing millions and necessitating urgent international aid.
Recent research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has revealed that the death toll in Sudan’s ongoing civil war is significantly higher than previously estimated. Between April 2023 and June 2024, over 61,000 people are thought to have died in Khartoum State alone, reflecting a 50% increase in the region’s pre-war mortality rate. Notably, the study highlights that approximately 26,000 of these deaths resulted from violence, a stark contrast to the national figures reported by ACLED, which recorded only 20,178 violent deaths across the entire country.
The study’s findings indicate that preventable diseases and starvation are the leading causes of death, with over 90% of these fatalities unreported. This suggests that the wider death toll across Sudan could be much higher, as the data from Khartoum State indicates severe underreporting. The civil war, which began in April 2023, is primarily a conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, resulting in widespread community isolation and a collapse of essential government services that hinders efforts to accurately assess death figures.
Employing a new analytical technique called “capture-recapture analysis,” the researchers triangulated data from multiple sources to arrive at more accurate estimates regarding the unrecorded deaths in Sudan. As articulated by lead author Maysoon Dahab, this method allows researchers to identify and estimate the number of events, such as deaths, that have gone undocumented based on the overlap of three different data sources.
Furthermore, reports from Doctors Without Borders indicate that since the beginning of the year, children under 15 account for one in every six patients treated at a hospital in Khartoum, many of whom are suffering from severe injuries and malnutrition due to the violence.
The United Nations has raised alarms about the humanitarian crisis, stating that 11 million people have been displaced due to the conflict and that around half of Sudan’s population—approximately 25 million people—require food assistance, marking this as the most severe hunger crisis globally. Dahab emphasizes the necessity for international action, stressing the need to enhance and broaden aid efforts to reach inaccessible populations.
Amidst ongoing diplomatic efforts, U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, Thomas Perriello, recently visited Khartoum for discussions with military leaders, reiterating the international community’s commitment to ending the violence. Nonetheless, a ceasefire remains elusive as neither the Sudanese army nor the Rapid Support Forces show willingness to negotiate. The situation has been further complicated by Russia’s veto of a proposed U.N. Security Council resolution for a ceasefire, which Britain condemned. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy criticized Russia’s actions, calling them disgraceful and highlighting the continued suffering of the Sudanese population.
The current civil war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has led to significant humanitarian crises characterized by high mortality rates and widespread displacement. The conflict involves a power struggle between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, severely impacting governmental support systems and aid distribution channels. Due to the chaotic nature of the war, obtaining accurate death toll figures has been challenging, necessitating innovative research methods to quantify unrecorded casualties and highlight the extent of the tragedy.
This research underscores the urgent need for the international community to recognize the severity of the humanitarian disaster in Sudan and to allocate increased resources for aid. The stark increase in estimated deaths, particularly in Khartoum, calls for immediate action to alleviate suffering, provide food assistance, and restore stability in the region. While diplomatic efforts are underway to bring about a ceasefire, the lack of agreement between the conflicting parties poses a significant challenge to peace and recovery efforts in Sudan.
Original Source: www.voanews.com
