South Sudan food crisis worst in the world: UN

South Sudan`s food crisis is now the worst in the world, the UN Security Council has said as it called for urgent funding to step up deliveries of desperately-needed aid.

United Nations: South Sudan`s food crisis is now the worst in the world, the UN Security Council has said as it called for urgent funding to step up deliveries of desperately-needed aid.

Some 3.9 million people -- a staggering one in three people throughout the country -- are going hungry as the fighting in South Sudan continues, according to UN officials.

The Security Council yesterday described a "catastrophic food insecurity situation in South Sudan that is now the worst in the world" and said the country was on the threshold of a full-blown famine if fighting continues.

It called on countries that pledged 618 million dollars in aid for South Sudan at a conference in May to make good on their promises and to increase their commitment.

Fighting erupted in South Sudan in December, sparked by a power struggle between President Salva Kiir and his deputy Riek Machar.

The 15-member Council also condemned the latest round of fighting around the town of Nasir and reminded the warring sides that attacks against civilians may lead to war crimes prosecutions.

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