Severe cold kills three malnourished Darfur children

Three children have died from hunger, and the severe cold that has been witnessed in Darfur’s East Jebel Marra over the past few days.

Abdelhafiz Adam Abakar (2), Eisa Yahya (3), and Suleiman Yahya (5) died in the Souni area on Tuesday night. A relative told Radio Dabanga that the children, who were already malnourished, did not survive the cold spell that has gripped the area for several days.

Tens of thousands of displaced people in South Darfur have complained of the dire humanitarian situation, the intensity of the bitter cold, and the halt by humanitarian organisations in providing blankets and shelter materials. This leads to acute pulmonary inflammation among children

The Sheikhs in the East Jebel Marra camps told Radio Dabanga that parent councils in most of the schools have been forced to delay the start of the school day for pupils of basic schools for an hour in the morning to avoid the cold.