Sudan — humanitarian situation

Sudan's armed conflict has exceeded 1,200 days, with conditions continuing to deteriorate across multiple regions. North Darfur has experienced further deterioration, with remote rural communities facing extreme hunger, widespread displacement, and collapsing basic services (Kids for Kids). Nearly 39,000 displaced children arrived in El Obeid, North Kordofan, during the first six months of 2026, contributing to a total population of over 605,000 people now residing in El Obeid town and Sheikan locality who have fled violence and attacks on civilian infrastructure (Save the Children). Cross-border displacement continues, with new arrivals from Sudan documented in Egypt as of mid-August UNHCR. Sudan remains the world's largest hunger crisis, with an estimated 19.5 million people experiencing acute food insecurity (Kids for Kids). The humanitarian situation is compounded by climate conditions, as rainfall deficits persisted across northern Sudan from May through July, resulting in soil moisture deficits and vegetation stress IGAD. Regional projections indicate an intensifying El Niño event expected during the October-December rainy season, which may exacerbate existing vulnerabilities OCHA. Refugees hosted by Sudan, including South Sudanese, Eritrean, and Ethiopian populations, face additional pressures, while more than 650,000 refugees and asylum seekers in South Sudan—many having fled Sudan—risk losing access to lifesaving food and nutrition assistance due to critical funding shortfalls, with final assistance for the most vulnerable 240,000 refugees at imminent risk of cessation UNHCR, WFP. Access to essential services remains severely constrained in displacement-affected areas. In El Obeid, newly arrived populations face challenges accessing health, water, education, and protection services as the city approaches capacity (Save the Children). Hard-to-access villages in North Darfur require urgent humanitarian scale-up (Kids for Kids). Security incidents continue to affect aid operations, with threats and violence targeting aid workers documented in the region (Insecurity Insight). The nutrition sector maintains operational presence across affected areas, though resource constraints persist (Nutrition Cluster).