UNHCR warns of growing danger to civilians in Darfur and Kordofan regions
The UN agency warns of a serious internal displacement crisis in the Darfur and Kordofan regions of Sudan, where fighting has intensified and thousands of civilians are fleeing their homes.
The conflict has led to a forced movement of the population. Across the country, more than 12 million people are displaced, most of them in extremely vulnerable conditions. Those fleeing have to travel long and dangerous routes, exposing themselves to arbitrary detention, rape, execution, looting and forced recruitment.
UNHCR reports that in the El Fasher area alone, thousands of people have fled in recent weeks due to ongoing violence. An estimated 100,000 people have fled El Fasher and surrounding areas, while in Kordofan the number of displaced persons is around 50,000, many of whom were already displaced previously.
Humanitarian impact
Humanitarian infrastructure (camps, health centres and access routes) is stretched to its limits. Aid operations are also hampered by insecurity and fighting. The agency reports systematic violations of international humanitarian law, with the civilian population bearing the brunt of the conflict, trapped between the warring parties with no safe routes for evacuation or humanitarian aid.
Urgent appeal
In light of this situation, UNHCR is making an urgent appeal to both governments and international donors to step up aid and ensure access to the affected areas. It is also demanding that the parties provide safe humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of the most vulnerable groups and put an end to attacks on the civilian population.
Conexión CP Team
[translated from Spanish]
24th November 2025
PREVIOUS UPDATES FROM UNHCR – 23rd October 2025
According to a recent report by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in a statement issued jointly with IOM, UNICEF, and the World Food Programme, Sudan is facing one of the worst humanitarian emergencies on the planet. After more than 900 days of conflict, the country is engulfed in extreme suffering marked by widespread human rights violations, an increasingly pervasive famine, and the total collapse of essential services, dramatically affecting millions of people, especially women and children.
The four agencies recently visited various parts of the country, including Darfur and Khartoum, where they were able to witness firsthand the devastating impact the conflict continues to have. Currently, more than 30 million people require humanitarian assistance, including 9.6 million internally displaced persons and nearly 15 million children. Although a reduction in the intensity of fighting in some areas has allowed about 2.6 million people to return to their homes, the reality they face is bleak: entire neighborhoods destroyed, nonexistent services, and an environment still marked by uncertainty and violence.
Education has been one of the sectors most severely affected by the war: 14 million children have been left out of school, exposing them to a greater risk of exploitation, violence, and forced recruitment. At the same time, malnutrition has surged to catastrophic levels. After famine was declared in several regions last year, thousands of children are now at imminent risk of death if they do not urgently receive nutritious food and medical care. Diseases such as cholera, measles, dengue, and malaria are spreading rapidly due to the lack of safe drinking water, adequate sanitation, and medical services.
In areas such as Darfur and Kordofan, isolation is increasing and civilians are suffering constant attacks. In Al Fasher alone, more than 260,000 people, including 130,000 children, have been trapped under siege for over 16 months, without access to food, medical care, or water. Reports of killings, sexual violence against women and girls, and forced displacement continue to be daily and alarming.
Despite this extremely critical situation, humanitarian access remains fraught with enormous challenges. Insecurity, bureaucratic obstacles, and the lack of guarantees to ensure the protection of humanitarian personnel prevent aid from reaching the places where it is most needed. Added to this is a severe funding shortfall: the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan, endowed with 4.2 billion dollars, has so far received only 25% of the required funds. Agencies warn that without a rapid increase in financial support, many emergency operations will have to be reduced or even halted, putting millions of lives at risk.
Despite everything, the UN highlights the determination of Sudanese families to rebuild what has been lost. Their resilience represents a sign of hope, but also a reminder that they cannot face a crisis of this magnitude alone. As UNHCR states in this joint communiqué, the international community must act without delay to facilitate access to aid, protect the population, and help bring an end to the conflict. Millions of lives depend on it.
At Conexión Creando Puentes, we firmly believe that every life deserves protection, dignity, and opportunity. For this reason, we will continue working to ensure that the voices of the Sudanese people are not silenced and to mobilize resources that allow children and families to have a possible future.
Conexión CP Team
[translated from Spanish]
27th October 2025
