The United Nations on Monday said more than 36,000 Sudanese civilians have fled their homes in North Kordofan as the conflict between the army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) spreads east from Darfur.
The UN migration agency warns that the humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly after the fall of El-Fashir, the army’s last major stronghold in Darfur.
According to the UN’s migration agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), “an estimated 36,825 people have fled five localities in North Kordofan,” a region located a few hundred kilometres east of Darfur.
The IOM said the mass displacement follows the RSF’s capture of El-Fashir, the last major army stronghold in Darfur, just over a week ago.
The UN statement described the situation as “rapidly deteriorating,” with civilians leaving their homes in search of safety amid reports of continuing violence, looting, and destruction.
“Families are moving with little more than what they can carry,” the agency said, warning of a growing humanitarian emergency in a region already struggling with food shortages and limited access to medical care.
The UN further noted that the exodus from North Kordofan adds to the already staggering number of displaced people across Sudan.
“Millions have been uprooted since the conflict began in April 2023,” the agency said, emphasizing that “the spread of fighting to new regions is worsening an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.”
Local reports from aid workers confirm that most of the displaced are women and children.
Many have sought refuge in makeshift camps, schools, and open areas with no access to clean water or sanitation.
“We are seeing an alarming rise in vulnerable groups arriving in El Obeid and surrounding towns,” UN field coordinator said.
The fall of El-Fashir marked a significant shift in Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
Once a vital army bastion and humanitarian hub, the city’s capture by the RSF has allowed the paramilitary group to expand control over much of Darfur and now push east into North Kordofan.
“The situation remains fluid and unpredictable,” the UN said, warning that the continued advance of armed groups could trigger “one of the largest displacement waves in Sudan since the war began.”
International agencies have expressed deep concern about the safety of civilians and aid workers caught in the fighting.
“Humanitarian access is becoming increasingly restricted,” the IOM added, citing destroyed roads, communication blackouts, and insecurity along major transport routes.
The UN has appealed for urgent international support to address the escalating humanitarian needs, calling for safe corridors for civilians and aid convoys.
“Immediate humanitarian assistance is required to prevent further loss of life,” the statement urged.
Sudan’s conflict, which erupted between the army and the RSF in 2023, has displaced over 10 million people and left thousands dead, according to UN estimates.
With North Kordofan now under threat, the crisis shows no sign of slowing.
“Unless the violence stops and humanitarian aid is allowed unrestricted access, the suffering of civilians will only deepen,” the UN statement warned.
