Back to Headlines
World Wide
Apr 29, 2026
Analyzed by GPT OSS 120B

Sudan’s Famine Forces Families into Displacement Amid Ongoing Conflict

AI Summary
A famine declared in November has forced families like Marasi Alfadil and Taqwa to flee besieged towns in Darfur and Kordofan, joining Sudan’s record internal displacement crisis. With hundreds of thousands facing extreme hunger and aid funding dwindling, the humanitarian situation threatens to worsen amid ongoing RSF‑SAF conflict.

The Human Toll of Sudan’s Famine‑Driven Displacement

When Marasi Alfadil arrived in Omdurman with her children, the half‑finished building she found offered only a thin shield from the violence that drove her from el‑Fasher. Her story mirrors that of countless Sudanese families forced to abandon their homes as a UN‑declared famine tightens its grip on western and central Sudan.

Escalating Siege and Famine in Darfur and Kordofan

Since the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized el‑Fasher after an 18‑month siege, blockades have cut off food, fuel and medicine. Markets have collapsed or become unaffordable, and the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification system officially labeled the situation a famine in November 2025. Similar conditions now grip Kadugli and at least twenty other locales across Darfur and Kordofan.

Scale of Hunger and Displacement: Key Numbers

  • 375,000 people are in the most extreme level of hunger, concentrated in North Darfur, South Kordofan and West Kordofan.
  • By the end of 2025, almost 12 million Sudanese were internally displaced, the world’s largest displacement crisis.
  • The UN estimates that 25 million people – more than half the population – face crisis‑level food shortages, including 4.2 million children under five.
  • Humanitarian funding gaps persist, limiting aid deliveries to displaced families in Omdurman and other safe‑zone cities.

Regional Instability and Humanitarian Access Crisis

The ongoing clash between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF has turned large swathes of western Sudan into inaccessible war zones. The European Union‑funded Global Network Against Food Crises reports that conflict‑related restrictions have “devastating effects on food security,” hampering both local markets and international relief operations.

Families like Taqwa, who fled Heglig with newborn twins, now depend on sporadic aid while facing soaring food prices in Khartoum’s capital region. The scarcity of cash, combined with limited livelihood opportunities, deepens the cycle of vulnerability.

Outlook: Aid Gaps and Prospects for Stabilisation

Without a negotiated ceasefire and a robust funding surge, the famine could expand beyond the current hotspots. Experts warn that continued RSF blockades will push more districts into the “extreme hunger” category, potentially triggering a secondary humanitarian emergency.

International actors are urged to:

  • Accelerate diplomatic pressure for a durable ceasefire between the RSF and SAF.
  • Mobilise an additional $1 billion in emergency food assistance to bridge the current funding shortfall.
  • Secure safe corridors for humanitarian convoys in Darfur and Kordofan.

Until these measures materialise, families like Marasi and Taqwa will remain on the front lines of a crisis that threatens to reshape Sudan’s demographic and economic landscape for years to come.