Turkish ship with over 2,400 tons of humanitarian aid departs for war-torn Sudan

A ship carrying over 2,400 tons of humanitarian aid left the Turkish port of the southern province of Mersin on Saturday, bound for the war-torn African nation of 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 Memiş, the head of AFAD.

The ship, the Sardes, is expected to arrive in Sudan around next weekend, Memiş said.

Sudan: Forgotten world humanitarian crisis

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).

While the number of people killed in the clashes is estimated to be around 16,000, the death toll is much higher due to the collapse of the health care system in the country in Northeastern Africa.

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.

The IOM noted that more than 2 million people have crossed the border into neighboring countries, 55% of them minors under the age of 18.

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.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said as the situation continues to deteriorate across Sudan,...