Hunger takes root
The analysis found that famine conditions continue in El Fasher, North Darfur, and in Kadugli, South Kordofan, where families are trapped and surviving on leaves, animal feed and grass.
Around 375,000 people nationwide face “catastrophic” levels of hungerwhich means they are on the verge of famine.
The CPI is a global system used by UN agencies and humanitarian partners to measure the severity of hunger: verify our explainer here.
It classifies food crises on a five-point scale, with Phase 5 (famine) representing extreme deprivation marked by hunger, acute malnutrition, and increased deaths.
The latest findings for Sudan were reviewed and confirmed by the IPC’s independent Famine Review Committee.
The turning point of El Fasher
Conditions for civilians remain desperate. Following the takeover of El Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia last week after more than 500 days of siege, the UN says hundreds of civilians – including aid workers – have been killed and many others are trapped behind barricades.
The city remains isolated, with food, medicine and relief supplies blocked despite urgent calls for access.
The UN humanitarian office, OCHA, called this obstruction “unacceptable” and urged the immediate and safe passage of aid convoys.
Nearly 71,000 people have fled El Fasher and its surrounding areas since late October, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with many reporting murders, kidnappings and sexual violence along the way.
Conditions in Tawila, about 70 kilometers away, where most have sought refuge, are dire: families are sleeping outdoors, food stocks are depleted and drinking water is in short supply.
In neighboring Kordofan, violence has increased in recent days, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.
The children’s agency, UNICEF, reported that missile attacks in Kadugli last Friday killed at least eight children sheltered in displacement sites.
Catastrophe for civilians
The UN humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, Denise Brown, described the situation as “catastrophic for civilians who find themselves trapped between the front lines, deprived of assistance and facing large-scale hunger.”.
He again called for an immediate ceasefire, protection of civilians and unimpeded humanitarian access.
With only 28 percent of Sudan’s $4.16 billion humanitarian plan funded so far this year – amid an unprecedented drop in aid spending by donor governments around the world – the UN warned that critical life-saving operations remain at risk.
Without a cessation of fighting and a massive increase in aid, millions more could face famine in the coming months.