The ongoing conflict in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has displaced thousands of people from the town of Um Rawaba in North Kordofan state. According to the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM), between 1,000 and 3,000 households fled the area over the past five days, following intense clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The conflict between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, leader of the RSF, has created widespread instability across Sudan. The fighting has intensified in various regions, particularly in the south, where families have sought refuge from escalating violence. In addition to the displacement in Um Rawaba, over 205,000 people are currently displaced in North Kordofan, and the overall number of internally displaced persons across Sudan has reached a staggering 11.5 million.
The humanitarian crisis is exacerbated by food insecurity, with reports of famine in multiple regions. According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) review, five areas in western and southern Sudan are already experiencing famine conditions, and this is expected to spread to other regions. In North Kordofan alone, approximately 350,000 people are facing emergency levels of hunger, signaling a dire situation.
The IOM emphasizes that the continued clashes and lack of a ceasefire are significantly worsening the humanitarian crisis. With nearly half the country’s population facing acute food insecurity, the UN has called for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further suffering and halt the spread of famine.
As the conflict continues, Sudan faces its largest displacement crisis in history, and the international community is increasingly concerned about the devastating toll on civilian lives and the looming threat of a wider famine.
