GENEVA, Aug 25, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - War and hunger threaten to "consume" Sudan 
where hundreds of thousands of malnourished children are at risk of dying, as 
fighting between rival generals rages on, the United Nations warned Friday.

The conflict between the army under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the 
paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo 
broke out on April 15.

"The war in Sudan is fuelling a humanitarian emergency of epic proportions," 
said Martin Griffiths, under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and 
emergency relief coordinator.

"This viral conflict -- and the hunger, disease and displacement left in its 
wake -- now threatens to consume the entire country."

Conservative estimates from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project 
say nearly 5,000 people have been killed.

But the battles have prevented the recovery of the bodies of many others 
thought to have died.

In the four months since fighting broke out, more than 4.6 million people 
have been forced to flee their homes, according to UN figures.

"The longer the fighting continues, the more devastating its impact. Some 
places have already run out of food," Griffiths' statement said.

"Hundreds of thousands of children are severely malnourished and at imminent 
risk of death if left untreated."

The UN official said that in Kadugli, in South Kordofan state, "food stocks 
have been fully depleted, as clashes and road blockages prevent aid workers 
from reaching the hungry."