A ship carrying over 2,400 tons of humanitarian aid has left the Turkish port of Mersin on Saturday, bound for Sudan.
The aid was prepared under the coordination of the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), with contributions from the Health Ministry, Turkish Red Crescent, and several non-governmental organizations.
The aid includes food, hygiene products, clothing, shelter, and health supplies, according to Okay Memis, the head of AFAD.
The ship, the Sardes, is expected to arrive in Sudan around next weekend, Oktay said.
Sudan continues to face the worst hunger and displacement crisis in the world as a result of 15 months of armed conflicts between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Massive displacements
The number of people killed in the clashes is estimated to be around 16,000. The health care system in the country has also collapsed.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that since the war began in Sudan in April 2023, over 7.7 million people have been internally displaced and more than 2 million have crossed the border into neighbouring countries, 55% of them children.
UNICEF reported that Sudan has the world's largest number of displaced children, with 5 million.
The IOM said 36% of the displaced people are from the capital Khartoum, 20% from South Darfur, and 14% from North Darfur.
'Worst food crisis'
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said as the situation continues to deteriorate across Sudan, women, children, and entire families are being forced to flee, leaving everything behind.
OCHA reported that Sudan is currently facing the “worst food insecurity in 20 years.”
UNICEF representative in Sudan Mandeep O’Brien said approximately 8.9 million Sudanese children are suffering from acute food insecurity and disease.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell underscored that Sudan is “one of the worst places in the world” for children.
The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023 between the army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF under the command of Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo over disagreements about integrating the RSF into the army.
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