Sudan is entering its fourth year of civil war with 14 million people displaced and a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding across the country. The conflict, which erupted on April 15, 2023, has left the nation's healthcare system in ruins and pushed millions toward famine.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), roughly 4.4 million people have crossed international borders into Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt. The violence has spread to all 18 Sudanese states, with heavy fighting concentrated in Darfur, Khartoum, Kordofan, and Gezira.
The World Health Organization reports that at least 40,000 people have been killed since the power struggle began between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
Humanitarian catastrophe deepens
Food insecurity is reaching critical levels, with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimating that 21 million people face acute hunger. This includes 6.3 million people living in emergency conditions.
"Rural households in conflict-affected areas such as Darfur and the Kordofan are under severe strain," said FAO representative Hongjie Yang. The FAO notes that nearly 30.4 million people, including 15.6 million children, require urgent humanitarian assistance.
Medical facilities are unable to cope with the rising casualties. Dr. Hasan Babikir of el-Obeid Maternity Hospital told the UNFPA that a shortage of intensive care beds led to the deaths of premature triplets under his care. The hospital now serves more than 230,000 displaced persons.
Human rights abuses have also escalated. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that 3,396 survivors of sexual violence sought treatment at their facilities in North and South Darfur between January 2024 and November 2025. An investigation found that RSF fighters were responsible for 87 percent of verified incidents.
Diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire have repeatedly failed. While the 'Quad'—comprising the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE—is attempting to reduce arms flows, fighting persists. The UN has also reported that nearly 700 civilians were killed in drone strikes during the first three months of 2026 alone.