Violence in Kordofan Exacerbates the Humanitarian Crisis

Communities in Dilling and Kadugli, South Kordofan, remain trapped under siege conditions that have prevented access to humanitarian aid, depriving the civilian population of food, medicine and other basic supplies and services.

In recent weeks, the conflict has intensified in Kadugli and its surroundings, causing a significant number of residents to flee the city. In a recent incident, drone attacks on the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) base in Kadugli killed six peacekeepers on 13 December. On 1 December, a change in control of Babanusa in West Kordofan triggered a new wave of displacement, serious protection risks and disruption to essential services. Clashes and changes in control in Bara in North Kordofan throughout November led to widespread killings and displacement.

As the Kordofan region has become a major front in the conflict, humanitarian needs are rapidly increasing.

Sudan is facing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Famine has been declared in El Fasher and Kadugli, and an imminent risk of famine has been identified in 20 other locations in the Darfur and Kordofan regions through January 2026. More than 21 million people across the country face acute levels of food insecurity, with at least 375,000 in catastrophic conditions, facing extreme hunger, acute malnutrition and risk of death. More than 63,000 children in South Kordofan are suffering from acute malnutrition, including more than 10,000 with severe acute malnutrition. Ninety-six per cent of displaced families in the state are unable to meet their basic needs and 75 per cent have at least one malnourished child.

An Action Against Hunger staff member based in Kadugli comments:
“Most medicines have been unavailable for two years, leaving communities without access to medical care, and many children are suffering from malnutrition. The scale of suffering, protection risks and lack of essential services are alarming. Recently, we have seen many families displaced from Kadugli and fleeing to other areas of Kordofan. Others have fled to the refugee camp on the border between South Kordofan and South Sudan. Many face dangers when leaving, such as theft, detention and impediments to crossing into the camp.”

Action Against Hunger continues to deploy its health and nutrition teams, rehabilitate sanitation centres and health facilities, and conduct awareness-raising sessions to prevent and address sexual and gender-based violence in South Kordofan, including Kadugli. The organisation will soon carry out cash assistance distributions to 500 households in Kadugli.

We urgently call on the international community to ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel in the Kordofan region, allow safe passage for people fleeing besieged and conflict-affected areas, guarantee humanitarian access to besieged areas and ensure unhindered access to the entire region, and increase flexible funding for both local response teams and international organisations.