Cholera Threatens Sudan as Civil War Continues

Cholera is spreading in Sudan as fighting between the military and a paramilitary group goes on past 17 months.

Health officials said the disease has killed at least 388 people and sickened 13,000 in the past two months.

The disease is spreading in areas flooded by recent heavy rainfall. The floods have especially affected eastern Sudan where millions of people displaced by war are seeking shelter.

On Sunday, the Health Ministry said six people had died and about 400 sickened over the weekend. The ministry said the disease has spread to 10 of the country's 18 provinces with the eastern Kassala and al-Qadarif provinces most affected.

Cholera is a bacterial infection that causes diarrhea, leading to severe dehydration. The World Health Organization says it can lead to death within hours if not treated. The bacteria spread mainly through contaminated water and food.

In 2017, a major outbreak of the disease in Sudan killed 700 people and sickened about 22,000 in less than two months.

Increasing tension between the Sudanese army and the powerful paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces, exploded into open warring in April last year.

The fighting wrecked the capital, Khartoum, and other urban areas. It has been marked by atrocities including mass rape and ethnic killings that could be considered war crimes and crimes against humanity. The United Nations and international rights groups say this is especially the case in the western area of Darfur, which has a history of violence.

The U.N. said at least 20,000 people have died and tens of thousands have been injured. However, rights groups and activists say the numbers are much higher.

The war also created what might be the world's largest displacement crisis at this time. The International Organization for Migration said more than 13 million people have fled their homes since the fighting began. That number includes over 2.3 million who fled to neighboring countries.

Seasonal floods and cholera have combined to create a major disaster in Sudan. Recent flooding killed at least 225 people and injured about 900 others, the Health Ministry said. The floods destroyed roads, bridges, and other public systems, and destroyed or damaged more than 76,000 houses, the ministry reported.

A group of international experts called the Famine Review Committee said famine had been confirmed in July in the Zamzam camp for displaced people. The camp is about 15 kilometers from North Darfur's capital of al-Fasher. The group said about 25.6 million people — more than half of Sudan's population — could face severe hunger this year.

Fighting is continuing in al-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur that the military still controls. The RSF has been trying to retake it since January.

Last week, the paramilitary force and its allied militias launched a new attack on the city. The military said its forces, aided by rebel groups pushed back the attack and killed hundreds of RSF fighters, including two top commanders.

I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.

Samy Magdy reported this story for the Associated Press. Mario Ritter, Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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paramilitary –adj. an armed group outside a country's military that is not under its command

contaminated –adj. containing harmful, infectious or poisonous substances

atrocity –n. a cruel, violent and shocking action