Families Displaced Due to Famine in Sudan

Sudanese Families Face Hunger and Displacement Amidst Ongoing Conflict

In Omdurman, Sudan, Marasi Alfadil has found temporary refuge with her children in a half-finished building within a compound. The family’s arrival came after six months of fleeing el-Fasher in North Darfur, where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group took control following an 18-month siege. The UN investigation into the RSF takeover found evidence of genocide.

The RSF’s control over el-Fasher has led to widespread hunger and violence, resulting in a famine declared by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification system in November. Similar conditions have been reported in Kadugli, South Kordofan State, with at least 20 other areas across Darfur and Kordofan also at risk of famine.

The 2026 Global Report on Food Crises stated that conflict in Darfur and Kordofan has severely constrained humanitarian access, having a devastating effect on food security. As of September, approximately 375,000 people were classified as being in the most extreme level of hunger, primarily in North Darfur, South Kordofan, and West Kordofan.

Taqa, who fled Heglig in West Kordofan with her twins, faces similar challenges in finding food for her infants. Her situation highlights the broader crisis faced by millions of people displaced due to conflict, who rely on limited and inconsistent aid. By 2025, nearly 12 million people were displaced, and the UN estimated that nearly 25 million people – more than half of Sudan’s population – were facing crisis levels of food shortages or worse.

In areas where people have fled, such as Khartoum, food remains scarce and expensive. Aid agencies report ongoing funding shortages while violence continues to block access to many regions. For families like Taqwa’s, the result is a daily struggle to survive due to limited aid availability.

Source: Al Jazeera