United Nations’ hunger monitoring system says there’s a risk of famine in 14 areas of Sudan if the conflict escalates.

There is a risk of famine in 14 areas across Sudan if the conflict between military factions escalates, a global hunger monitor has said, noting that it faces “the worst levels of acute food insecurity” ever recorded in the country.

In its assessment published on Thursday, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said after more than a year of war, some 755,000 people are facing “catastrophe”, the most severe level of extreme hunger, while 8.5 million people, or 18 percent of the population, grapple with food shortages that could result in acute malnutrition and death.

The conflict started in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) under army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo. 

An increase in fighting would further restrict aid access to threatened areas, the United Nations’ hunger monitoring system said, warning of the realistic chance of famine in several areas including parts of Darfur, Khartoum, Kordofan and Gezira states.