Catastrophic Malnutrition Spreads in Sudan as Conflict Blocks Aid, UN-Backed Report Warns
A UN-backed food security analysis has issued a stark alert for parts of Sudan, revealing that acute malnutrition among children has reached catastrophic levels in new areas of North Darfur and Greater Kordofan. The warning from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) underscores a rapidly deepening famine-risk emergency driven by ongoing conflict, mass displacement, and severe restrictions on humanitarian access.
The IPC alert, released on Thursday, identifies Um Baru and Kernoi in northwestern North Darfur as the latest locations where malnutrition thresholds have been catastrophically surpassed. Assessments from December found global acute malnutrition rates of 52.9 per cent among children in Um Baru—nearly double the famine threshold—and approximately 34 per cent in Kernoi. These areas have been overwhelmed by civilians fleeing the fighting in El Fasher, the regional capital that fell in October 2025, shattering local markets and livelihoods.
The IPC stressed that while the alert signals an extreme and urgent deterioration, it is not a formal famine (IPC Phase 5) classification. However, analysts warned that conditions are worsening at an alarming rate. “These alarming rates suggest an increased risk of excess mortality,” the report stated, noting that many other conflict-affected or inaccessible regions likely face similar catastrophic conditions.
The crisis is a direct consequence of Sudan’s war, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has decimated national food systems, triggered one of the world’s largest displacement crises, and repeatedly disrupted essential health, water, and nutrition services. Nationwide, IPC projections for 2026 estimate nearly 4.2 million cases of acute malnutrition, including over 800,000 severe cases—a sharp increase from 2025.
The new findings indicate that famine-like conditions are spreading beyond previously identified hotspots. The IPC had previously confirmed famine in El Fasher (2024) and Kadugli, South Kordofan (September 2025), and projected famine risk in at least 20 other areas across Darfur and Kordofan.
Greater Kordofan remains a particular concern. Following renewed fighting since late October, over 88,000 people have been newly displaced, pushing total regional displacement past one million. Markets in the region are among the least functional in Sudan, with food prices far exceeding national averages. Without an immediate cessation of hostilities and large-scale, unimpeded humanitarian access, IPC experts warn that preventable deaths will rise significantly.
The alert serves as a critical call for urgent, scaled-up intervention to avert a broader humanitarian catastrophe.
