UNHCR: over 1,200 children die in Sudanese refugee camps

CAIRO - 19 September 2023: Approximately 1,200 children have succumbed to measles and malnutrition in nine refugee camps in Sudan since May, as reported by the United Nations on Tuesday.

According to Allan Mina, the public health officer for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), tens of thousands more children in Sudanese refugee camps may tragically pass away by the end of the year.

Mina elaborated, "Over 1,200 children under the age of five have died in these nine camps between May 15 and September 14. This heart-wrenching situation is attributed to a potential outbreak of measles combined with severe malnutrition."

Children Bear the Brunt of the Conflict in Sudan

Children have been the most adversely affected by the ongoing conflict in Sudan between the army and the Rapid Support Forces since mid-April. Thousands of them have fallen victim to killings, displacement, and hunger.

UNICEF has highlighted that they have documented a staggering 2,500 blatant child rights violations.An overwhelming 1.9 million children have been internally displaced within Sudan.Additionally, about 1.7 million children have been forced to leave their homes, now moving within the country and across its borders.