Climate change and drone attacks exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in war-torn Sudan

Humanitarian crisis deepens in Sudan as climate change and drone attacks exacerbate the situation.

The full report

Aid groups have warned of an imminent collapse of the health system in Sudan due to the ongoing conflict and climate change. The United Nations has extended an arms embargo, but only for Darfur. Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have intensified in North Kordofan and parts of Blue Nile state, forcing thousands of civilians to flee.

Since the war broke out between the two factions and their allied militias in April 2023, neither side has managed to establish control over the entire country. The SAF is in control of Sudan's north and center, including the capital, Khartoum, while the RSF maintains its presence in the western Darfur region and parts of the south.

The brutal war has plunged Sudan into one of the world's worst humanitarian and displacement crises, according to the United Nations and international aid organizations. The estimated death toll ranges from 40,000 to 250,000 people, while more than 12.4 million Sudanese have been displaced, both within Sudan and to neighboring countries.

Action Against Hunger has sounded the alarm, warning that 24.6 million people are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. An estimated 825,000 children younger than 5 suffer from severe acute malnutrition, while a total of 4.2 million children and pregnant or breastfeeding women are thought to be acutely malnourished.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) has also warned that several areas, including camps for internally displaced people in Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan, are expected to face Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5), the most severe classification of acute food insecurity.

The situation in Sudan continues to deteriorate, with humanitarian needs growing even as resources to respond are shrinking. The 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan, which calls for $2.9 billion, is just 41% funded, with $1.2 billion received from international donors so far.