(MENAFN) The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Wednesday that famine already gripping parts of Sudan risks expanding to other regions, including South Sudan.

"Famine has been confirmed in parts of Sudan, with the risk of famine touching other parts of the country, as well as South Sudan. Famine means we are already too late, and people are beginning to die from the effects of undernutrition," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on US social media company X.

He attributed the worsening food crisis to "prolonged conflict, forced displacement, economic instability and climatic shocks" that are creating "alarming levels of food insecurity," and urged "a massive scale up" of food assistance.

"There is no time to waste, but there are limitations to what we can do without humanitarian access," Ghebreyesus added.

Famine has officially been declared in El-Fasher and the besieged town of Kadugli, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court recently stated that reported atrocities in El-Fasher may qualify as war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) recently seized Bara and El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, as part of its ongoing conflict with the Sudanese army, though the group denies targeting civilians.

Since April 15, 2023, fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF has killed thousands and displaced millions, despite multiple regional and international mediation efforts.

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