Khartoum, Oct 19 (IANS): The Sudanese government on Saturday said it has agreed to open four additional airports for humanitarian agencies to deliver aid to the war-torn country, according to Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council.

The airports to be opened are in the cities of Kassala, Dongola, El Obeid, and Kadugli, said the sovereign council in a statement.

By doing this, "the government of Sudan has fulfilled all requirements for the entry and flow of humanitarian aid by air, land and sea," the statement said, adding that there are now six airports and seven land crossings available to international organisations.

According to the UN, half of Sudan's population, or about 25 million people, need humanitarian assistance and protection, while nearly 18 million face acute food insecurity.

The World Food Programme has previously warned that Sudan could face the world's worst hunger crisis as the conflict has entered its second year, Xinhua news agency reported.

Sudan has been ravaged by a deadly conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since mid-April 2023. The conflict has resulted in approximately 20,000 deaths, thousands of injuries, and the displacement of millions, according to recent estimates by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.