The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) issued a warning on Wednesday, cautioning that almost 11 months of fighting between rival generals in Sudan could lead to the world’s largest hunger crisis. Cindy McCain, the executive director of WFP, highlighted the devastating impact of the conflict between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF), stating that it has shattered the lives of millions across the nation.

Both the RSF and the army are accused of indiscriminate shelling of residential areas, targeting civilians, and impeding and taking control of essential aid. The prolonged conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, a crippled economy, and the destruction of infrastructure. Over eight million people have been displaced, adding to the two million already forced from their homes before the conflict, creating the world’s largest displacement crisis.

As the humanitarian response is stretched to its limits, an increasing number of people are fleeing Sudan into neighboring South Sudan and Chad. Cindy McCain, concluding her trip to South Sudan, where over half a million Sudanese have sought refuge, emphasized that the ongoing fighting “risks triggering the world’s largest hunger crisis.”

The WFP reported that around 18 million people in Sudan are facing acute hunger, with five million at catastrophic levels – the highest emergency classification before famine. Access to 90 percent of those in “emergency levels of hunger” is currently restricted, and only five percent of Sudan’s population can afford a square meal a day.

McCain urged the warring parties to cease hostilities and allow aid agencies to provide life-saving assistance, emphasizing that the escalating food insecurity will have a significant long-term impact on the region. The WFP also appealed for additional funding to address the spread of the humanitarian crisis to neighboring countries.