The United Nations (UN) is raising urgent concerns about the deepening crisis in Sudan, as fighting, hunger, and disease spiral out of control, according to a press release. Conditions are especially grim in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, where families are running out of food and clean water and local markets are barely functioning. UN officials say nearly 40% of young children in the city are suffering from acute malnutrition, with more than one in ten facing the most severe form.
Basic services have broken down across the region. Most water systems are damaged or out of fuel, leaving many people desperate for clean water. Since April 2023, about 780,000 people have fled El Fasher and nearby camps, with almost half a million forced to move in just the last two months. Famine conditions have already gripped the area, and most of those who fled Zamzam camp have scattered to other locations where international aid groups are trying to help—despite severe challenges.
Disease is adding to the crisis. With water and sanitation in ruins and few people vaccinated, cholera cases keep climbing. Sudan has seen over 32,000 suspected cholera cases this year, and the numbers are highest in the Darfur region. In just one week, South Darfur reported more than 300 suspected cases and over two dozen deaths from cholera alone.
The violence between rival armies has killed tens of thousands since April 2023 and driven more than 12 million people from their homes. Around four million are now refugees in neighboring countries. Drought, floods, and other disasters are making survival even harder, and famine is now a deadly reality in parts of the country.
Humanitarian groups warn that they can’t meet the huge needs with the resources they have. Of the $4.2 billion the UN asked for to help this year, less than a quarter has been raised. UN officials are calling for an urgent pause in the fighting so food and medicine can reach those most at risk, stressing that “every day without access costs lives.”
