Sudan war leaves mother of two unable to save both children

BBC News reported on the story of Touma, a mother of two heavily impacted by the ongoing Sudan war, on 16th October.

Touma exists in the midst of a civil war in Sudan between two military factions, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that has been ongoing since 2023.

The civil war is understood to be one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world currently, with those residing in the two most concentrated areas of fighting – the capital, Khartoum, and the Darfur region – experiencing severe conditions. Drone strikes have been frequently hitting civilians, with eight killed in a maternity ward and thirteen killed in a mosque drone strike. Recently, 110 people were killed in a drone strike in Darfur.

Furthermore, civilians also face famine as a result of the lingering conflict, with the UN reporting an approximate three million children under the age of five as actuely malnourished.

Although refugees have attempted to flee the country and migrate to neighbouring countries such as Libya, there have been existing concerns about the treatment of these Sudanese migrants.

In an emotive piece, Touma is reported to be one of many suffering under the current poor humanitarian conditions in Sudan. She was said to have not eaten for days, almost in a catatonic state as she resides in a ward in one of the last remaining hospitals Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. As she was being interviewed, Touma was reported to have her three-year-old malnourished daughter, Masajed, lying in her arms almost completely still.

She reflected on how her life has changed since the conflict forced her family to flee their home 200km south-west of Khartoum: “[The RSF] took everything we owned – our money and our livestock – straight out of our hands. We escaped with only our lives.”

While the hospital provides basic care and treatment to civilians free of charge, many of the medicines that can save the lives of children have to be paid for by their families. Touma described the heartbreaking decision of having to choose between Masajed and her twin sister, Manahil, after realising they could only afford antibiotics for one child.

Wanting to give one of her daughters a chance at surviving, Touma gave the antibiotics to Manahil: “I wish they could both recover and grow, and that I could see them walking and playing together as they did before.”

Touma is one of many mother’s in Sudan sat helpless watching their malnourished children fight hunger, disease and injury. As the humanitarian emegerncy in Sudan shows no sign of ending, impossible decisions like the one Touma faced are becoming more of a reality for mothers across Sudan.

BBC News, Maghrebi.org