Sudan: Fighting Deepens Needs and Fuels Further Displacement in Sudan

The ongoing conflict in Sudan continues to worsen humanitarian needs and fuel further displacement, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The situation is particularly dire around El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, where ongoing insecurity and the threat of a full-scale ground assault by the rebel Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have led to a surge in civilian evacuations and a dire need for protection.

OCHA highlighted that El Obeid's residents are flocking to the city and its surroundings in search of safety and assistance, with the rebel militia effectively encircling the town. Despite these challenges, the UN and partners have managed to provide critical support, including two million liters of drinking water to approximately 133,000 people facing severe water shortages.

Further displacement has been reported in Sirba locality, West Darfur state, where fighting has displaced roughly 18,000 people from over 20 villages since last week, most of whom have fled across the border into Chad. The ongoing conflict, which erupted in April 2023, is one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with over 30 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and more than nine million displaced within Sudan.

OCHA has repeatedly called on all parties to protect civilians and facilitate rapid, safe, unhindered, and sustained humanitarian access. However, funding gaps are limiting the assistance available, as recent closures of three health facilities in Central Darfur state have left 75,000 displaced people without essential health services.

The UN continues to urge donors to provide additional support for the humanitarian response, noting that a nearly $3 billion appeal to meet needs this year is only 40 per cent funded, with $1.2 billion received to date. OCHA remains committed to achieving de-escalation, with the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, engaging the parties and working with UN partners, including the African Union, the League of Arab States, and the East African bloc IGAD, to achieve a full cessation of hostilities and progress in negotiations.