Internet outage halts food aid, leading to deaths in Khartoum

February 20, 2024 (KHARTOUM) – Civilian groups providing meals in Khartoum face a growing crisis as the internet outage disrupts their operations, leading to reported deaths among civilians.

Following the outbreak of war, community-led initiatives in Khartoum, including 7 grassroots committees, have been preparing food and providing medicine to over a million citizens. These groups rely on donations and online platforms for coordination and funding.

The Khartoum Bahri Emergency Room reported civilian deaths linked to the closure of collective kitchens, stating that the internet blackout hampered coordination and food supply.

Similarly, the Kalakla Emergency Room relies on online banking for receiving aid and supporting war-affected individuals.

Communication and internet services have been disrupted nationwide since February 4th, with accusations of deliberate sabotage by the Rapid Support Forces. Partial restoration has occurred in northern and eastern Sudan.

The Khartoum Bahri and Kalakla Emergency Rooms, serving Khartoum’s third largest district, announced the closure of their collective kitchens due to communication difficulties. This affects over 50,000 families requiring food, shelter, and medicine, according to the Kalakla Committee.

Activists warn that continued outages threaten hundreds of thousands, primarily children, women, and the elderly, with hunger looming.

On February 14th, Khartoum emergency rooms reported receiving $724,000, distributed to local communities and benefiting 1.8 million people.

The United Nations estimates that 25 million Sudanese require aid, including nearly 18 million facing severe hunger. UNICEF anticipates addressing acute malnutrition in 3.5 million children this year, including over 700,000 with life-threatening cases requiring specialized treatment.

(ST)