KHARTOUM, April 15 (Xinhua) -- As the armed conflict in Sudan enters its third year, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) described the situation in Sudan as a "major protection crisis," citing widespread violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and escalating risks to civilians and humanitarian workers alike.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Daniel O'Malley, head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan, painted a grim picture of the ongoing crisis.

"For us, this is one of the ongoing conflicts where we see the highest level of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) violations in general," O'Malley said.

"In many instances, the remit and the rules of war, which are enshrined within the IHL, have not been respected."

He emphasized that the devastating impact on civilians -- including mass displacement, sexual violence, disappearances, and destruction of livelihoods -- stems from the failure of parties to the conflict to uphold international humanitarian law.

O'Malley voiced particular concern over the situation in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur State, where recent violence has directly affected both civilians and humanitarian personnel.

"We were very sad to learn about the death of nine colleagues from Relief International, something which shouldn't be happening. It's something which is very clear within the IHL (that humanitarian personnel must be protected)," he noted.

The ICRC official called on both parties to the conflict in Sudan to abide by the provisions of international humanitarian law and to honor the explicit commitment they made when signing the Jeddah Declaration in May 2023.

"The Jeddah Declaration is not a political declaration. It is a humanitarian declaration, and what we've seen is that there's been very little adherence or very little respect to this declaration which was signed for both," he noted.

The chief of the ICRC delegation in Sudan also condemned the increasing pattern of attacks on critical infrastructure, including water, electricity, healthcare, and communications -- essential lifelines for communities and families.

He said that targeting vital infrastructure is clearly "contravening international humanitarian law," adding that the ICRC is pushing for agreements to protect essential infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the ICRC official acknowledged that it is sometimes difficult for humanitarian organizations to access populations in need, due to shifting front lines, logistical challenges such as seasonal weather, and growing security risks.

It was impossible to operate in a zero-risk environment, said O'Malley, but said they were trying to minimize the risk exposure as much as possible.

"In the last two years, we've had a number of incidents, especially the two incidents where we lost four colleagues and injured nine," he said.

Regarding the number of casualties caused by the two-year conflict, O'Malley emphasized the difficulty of obtaining precise figures in a crisis of this scale, noting that "any statistic is likely to underrepresent the reality on the ground."

He said in 2024 alone, the ICRC documented nearly 8,000 cases of disappeared civilians, noting that there was a nearly 70 percent increase in tracing requests compared to 2023.

Meanwhile, nearly 50,000 weapon-wounded individuals have been treated with ICRC-supported medical care, though O'Malley warned this number represents just a fraction of the real toll.

He explained that the organization's key activities include protecting civilians, supporting health facilities, assisting internally displaced people, and restoring access to essential services such as water.

Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since mid-April 2023. The conflict has displaced over 15 million people, both inside and outside Sudan, according to estimates from the International Organization for Migration. Enditem

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