UNICEF says children who fled fighting in el-Fasher among those facing ‘unprecedented’ level of malnutrition.The United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF) has warned of an “unprecedented level” of child malnutrition in the war-torn region of North Darfur and called for immediate access to children and families trapped by the conflict.The warning on Monday came amid intensified fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as the paramilitary force continues to push east after seizing the city of el-Fasher in Darfur in late October.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listThe conflict, which erupted in 2023, has killed tens of thousands, displaced more than 12 million people and triggered famine in several parts of Sudan, a situation the UN has described as the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis”.UNICEF, in its Monday statement, said some 53 percent of 500 children it screened in the Um Baru locality in North Darfur earlier this month were acutely malnourished.It said one in six were also suffering from “severe acute malnutrition”, a life-threatening condition that it said could kill a child within weeks if left untreated.“When severe acute malnutrition reaches this level, time becomes the most critical factor,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in a statement.“Children in Um Baru are fighting for their lives and need immediate help. Every day without safe and unhindered access increases the risk of children growing weaker and more death and suffering from causes that are entirely preventable,” she said.According to UNICEF, many people currently living in the Um Baru area recently arrived from el-Fasher following the escalation of fighting in the city in late Octo …
