522,000 Children Under The Age of Five Have Died of Starvation

At least 522,000 children under the age of five have died of starvation since the war began in April 2023.

This figure has repeatedly surfaced on social media. Yet it has not been reported in major Western media. What sources and evidence does it rely on?

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International organizations such as UNICEF have reported figures that align with this estimate, underscoring its credibility.

The Evidence Behind Sudan’s Starvation Estimate

The exact figure of 522,000 refers specifically to children under the age of five and comes from the Sudan Doctors Union. UNICEF estimates that 700,000 children under the age of five will be affected by severe acute malnutrition in 2025. Other sources such as “Save the Children – Famine Report (Dec 2024),” “UN News – Malnutrition Crisis Deepens (July 2025),” and “UNICEF – Statement on Famine (Jan 2025)“ confirm the scale reported by Sudanese networks.

The exact figure of 522,000 is difficult to verify, as many deaths in besieged areas cannot be documented – but it is in line with international estimates.

The real number is likely far higher

The figure of 522,000 children under five who have died of starvation comes from January 2025. By now, the real number is likely far higher.

In January 2025, UNICEF estimated that 3.2 million children under five in Sudan were suffering from acute malnutrition, including more than 700,000 facing severe acute malnutrition. By the end of 2025, the situation has very likely deteriorated sharply.

In Darfur alone, severe malnutrition cases among children rose by 46 percent compared to the previous year, making it clear that today’s numbers are far higher than the January estimate.

3.2 million

UNICEF estimate (Jan 2025) of children under five suffering from acute malnutrition

522,000

Children under five who died of starvation (Sudan Doctors Union, Jan 2025)

700,000

Among them facing severe acute malnutrition (SAM)

46%

Increase in severe malnutrition cases among children in Darfur in 2025 compared to the previous year