Sudan landslide kills up to 200 children
Shafaq News – Khartoum
A deadly landslide in Sudan’s Marrah Mountains, in the western Darfur region, has claimed the lives of up to 200 children, a humanitarian aid group reported on Friday.
Save the Children, an international non-governmental organization focused on child welfare, estimated that more than 1,000 people may have died in the August 31 disaster, with many victims buried beneath mud and debris.
Earlier, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) offered a similar estimate, while stressing that the full scale of the disaster remains unclear due to the region’s inaccessibility.
The Marrah Mountains, a volcanic range rising more than 3,000 meters (9,840 feet) at its summit, are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area is known for its cooler climate and higher rainfall compared with the surrounding plains.
The landslide struck as Sudan endures a civil war that erupted in April 2023 in the capital, Khartoum. The conflict, triggered by a power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has since spread nationwide.
Widespread fighting has killed tens of thousands and forced around 12 million people from their homes. At the same time, large parts of Darfur and southern Sudan are experiencing famine, while cholera outbreaks continue to spread, with Darfur among the worst-affected areas.
