UNHCR Warns of Escalating Catastrophe as Violence Displaces Thousands in Sudan

The intensification of conflict around El Fasher, the last major city controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces in Darfur, has unleashed a wave of brutality marked by killings, sexual violence, forced recruitment, and widespread looting.

A rapidly deteriorating protection crisis in Sudan’s Darfur and Kordofan regions is reaching catastrophic levels, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warns, as escalating violence forces tens of thousands of families to flee for their lives—many for the second, third, or even fourth time. The intensification of conflict around El Fasher, the last major city controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces in Darfur, has unleashed a wave of brutality marked by killings, sexual violence, forced recruitment, and widespread looting.

More than a year into Sudan’s devastating war, the humanitarian situation is worsening at an alarming pace, with civilians bearing the brunt of relentless fighting between warring parties. UNHCR reports that displacement routes are becoming longer, more dangerous, and increasingly controlled by armed groups who extort, detain, or forcibly return civilians attempting to escape.

Families Facing Trauma, Violence, and Repeated Displacement

Families arriving in Tawila, approximately 50 kilometres from El Fasher, describe horrifying experiences during their escape. Women and girls have reported sexual violence, including rape, both during flight and in areas under siege. Parents are searching for missing children, many of whom were separated during chaotic evacuations or abducted at checkpoints. Others recount the loss of young male relatives arrested or forcibly recruited by armed groups after families were unable to pay ransom demands.

The journey to safety is becoming increasingly perilous. With primary routes blocked by armed checkpoints, families are forced to travel hundreds of kilometres over remote terrain. Since the fall of El Fasher, roughly 2,000 people have arrived in Ad Dabbah in Sudan’s Northern State—some having travelled more than 1,000 kilometres over 10 to 15 days. They join the 35,000 civilians who sought refuge in the town during the months-long siege.

Those who do arrive are exhausted, traumatized, and often stripped of nearly all their belongings. Many report theft of personal items including phones, jewellery, clothing, and cash. Transportation providers are charging exorbitant fees, exploiting the desperate circumstances of fleeing families. UNHCR has also received disturbing reports of civilians being forcibly returned to El Fasher by armed groups along major displacement routes.

El Fasher on the Brink as Thousands Remain Trapped

Back in El Fasher, humanitarian agencies warn of an unfolding disaster. Thousands of civilians—especially those who are elderly, wounded, or living with disabilities—remain trapped in the city with no safe way out. Some are being prevented from leaving by armed forces, while others are too weak to flee after months of siege and depletion of critical supplies.

Within just two weeks, nearly 100,000 people have fled El Fasher and surrounding villages, seeking safety in other parts of North Darfur and neighbouring states. Alarmingly, 75% of these new arrivals had already been displaced previously from areas such as Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps or conflict-affected neighbourhoods of El Fasher.

The violence has also intensified across western Sudan. In North Kordofan, almost 50,000 people have fled their homes in recent weeks, many for the second or third time amid a relentless cycle of conflict.

Dire Conditions in Areas of Arrival

Conditions in Ad Dabbah, Tawila, and other host communities are dire. Many displaced people are sleeping outdoors under trees or in makeshift shelters without protection from the heat or elements. Clean water, food, and medical supplies are exceedingly scarce. Some families have gone days without eating, and health workers warn of escalating malnutrition among children, pregnant women, and those already weakened by displacement.

New arrivals show signs of severe trauma after enduring months under siege followed by dangerous journeys to reach safety. With overcrowded shelter sites and shortages of basic supplies, the risk of disease outbreaks is rising.

UNHCR and Partners Scaling Up Emergency Response

UNHCR teams on the ground are expanding emergency operations across Darfur, Kordofan, and Northern State. In Tawila, newly established protection desks provide counselling, psychological first aid, family tracing, and referrals for the most vulnerable, including survivors of sexual violence and unaccompanied children.

Given widespread reports of rape and conflict-related sexual violence, UNHCR has supplied PEP kits to local health authorities to support timely treatment for survivors. Shelter materials, household essentials, and emergency relief items are being transported from Port Sudan to accessible locations. A UNHCR field team has also deployed to Ad Dabbah to coordinate a broader humanitarian response.

Calls for Immediate Access and Civilian Protection

UNHCR reiterates urgent calls for:

• Immediate cessation of indiscriminate attacks on civilians

• Safe and unhindered passage for people fleeing conflict

• Full and sustained humanitarian access

• Protection for humanitarian workers, many of whom have been killed, injured, or gone missing

“All parties must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law,” UNHCR emphasized. “Civilians desperately need safe corridors and relief workers need access to deliver lifesaving assistance.”

Funding Shortfalls Threaten Response Efforts

Despite the scale of the crisis, UNHCR has received only 35% of the required funding for its Sudan response. The agency urgently requires USD 84.2 million to sustain life-saving operations through next year. Without additional support, millions of civilians will face even greater suffering.

Sudan is currently the world’s largest displacement crisis, with nearly 12 million people uprooted inside and outside the country. As violence continues to spread, humanitarian agencies warn that time is running out to prevent further catastrophe.