Situation report

Sudan Situation Report

Humanitarian situation report: Sudan Situation Report.

1. Executive Overview

The humanitarian situation in Sudan remains critical, characterized by massive displacement and escalating conflict [0]. As of July 6, 2026, over 11.4 million people have been displaced, with 8.6 million remaining displaced and 5.1 million returnees [0][1][18]. The crisis is intensified by the proliferation of foreign-supplied drones utilized by both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which has led to thousands of civilian casualties and the widespread destruction of essential infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and markets [0][6]. Regional instability further compounds the pressure, as renewed fighting in Tigray has forced hundreds of civilians into Sudan [0][36].

Humanitarian needs are acute, particularly regarding food security and health. Approximately 5 million people are experiencing IPC4 emergency levels of acute hunger, while 200,000 face IPC5 starvation [0][20]. These needs are exacerbated by severe economic instability, evidenced by a 94% year-on-year increase in the cost of the WFP Local Food Basket and a 19% monthly surge in sorghum prices as of August 2026 [0][16][17]. Environmental stressors, specifically persistent rainfall deficits across Sudan and the wider Eastern Africa region, continue to threaten agriculture, water resources, and public health [0][32].

The response is severely constrained by funding gaps and operational hazards. While 70.8% of the required $10.5 billion has been funded [HDX], the WFP warns of significant operational scale-backs without additional resources [0][20]. Access is hindered by violence, with at least 786 incidents of violence against healthcare recorded between April 2023 and August 2026 [0][11]. Furthermore, the RSF has disrupted critical communications and banking in An Nuhud by closing markets and Starlink services [0][29]. Sudan currently holds an INFORM Risk rank of #7 globally with a class 5 risk level [HDX].

2. Detailed Situation Analysis

Conflict and Protection

The conflict is marked by the use of advanced weaponry and foreign intervention. The UAE has reportedly assisted the RSF in channeling logistics, weapons, and personnel through hubs in Chad, southeastern Libya, and Somalia, while approximately 2,000 former Colombian military contractors have operated drones and artillery alongside RSF forces in Darfur and Kordofan [6]. These capabilities contributed to the takeover of El-Fasher and violations in Zamzam camp that bear hallmarks of genocide [6]. Similarly, foreign-supplied drones have increased the SAF's long-range strike capacity [6].

Protection risks are severe, particularly for children who face recruitment by armed actors, trafficking, child labor, and family separation [0][27]. In North Darfur, women face critical vulnerabilities to gender-based violence due to a lack of gender-segregated sanitation, missing locks on facilities, and a lack of lighting around latrines [0][26]. Additionally, survivors of torture and serious violations require urgent, survivor-centered case management and specialized referral pathways for legal and medical care [27].

Food Security and Economic Stability

Food insecurity has reached catastrophic levels, with 5 million people at IPC4 and 200,000 at IPC5 levels [0][20]. The WFP currently reaches 4 to 5 million people monthly, though in some areas, populations of 950,000 are receiving only half rations [20]. Economic volatility is extreme; the national average retail price of sorghum rose 19% in August 2026 alone, with prices exceeding 3,000 SDG/Kg in Northern, South Kordofan, and West Kordofan states [16]. The Sudanese pound continues to depreciate against the US dollar, driven by high demand for foreign currency and conflict-related disruptions [16].

Health and WASH

The health system is under immense pressure, with critical shortages of midwives, obstetricians, and anesthesiologists [19]. In Tawila, North Darfur, health facilities are insufficient, with only 2% located internally within the camp and none operating 24/7 [26]. Disease outbreaks are a growing threat, including a suspected cholera outbreak in the Daba Naira IDP camp [0][8] and a persistent outbreak in Foga, West Kordofan [0][29]. Additionally, five human cases of cVDPV2 poliovirus were reported in 2026 [0][35].

WASH services are severely limited. In Tawila, 58% of women cannot access clean water due to high tariffs [26]. While the WASH Cluster utilizes a household survey strategy to quantify gaps, the operational environment remains precarious [5]. In response to the Daba Naira outbreak, the FaSER consortium has implemented CATI interventions and water trucking [8].

Displacement and Regional Trends

Displacement remains massive, with 8.6 million people internally displaced and 5.1 million returnees [0][18]. Return movements are particularly high in Khartoum and Al Jazirah states, increasing the demand for disease surveillance and health services [0][18]. In South Sudan, Sudanese refugees make up 95% of the 661,529 refugee and asylum-seeker population [31]. In Egypt, refugees face discrimination and limited livelihood opportunities, leading many to attempt migration toward Germany (31%), France (24%), and Italy (22%) [1]. In eastern Chad, 71,000 refugee families lack housing assistance, and education enrollment rates have declined across all levels [1][15].

3. Key Findings & Trends

A critical trend is the "doubling in size" of the city of El Obeid due to the arrival of thousands of families fleeing insecurity in West and North Kordofan [0][18][30]. Simultaneously, some states have seen relative decreases in IDP populations, including River Nile (9%), Northern (7%), and West Darfur (6%) [30]. Another emerging trend is the impact of environmental stressors; rainfall deficits from May through August 2026 have affected the entire northern sector of Eastern Africa, and the FAO forecasts that drier-than-normal conditions will persist in Sudan through December 2026 [0][32].

Operationally, the response is facing a "funding cliff." IOM reports that emergency stocks for shelter and sanitation are expected to be exhausted by September 2026 [0][9]. The WFP has explicitly warned that without more funding, operations may be scaled back significantly, which would be difficult to reverse [0][20].

4. Gaps & Recommendations

Information and Resource Gaps

Funding Shortfalls: There is a critical need for $42 million to expand the IOM Common Humanitarian Supply Platform [0][9] and a significant funding gap for UNFPA in Chad, which stood at 87% in August 2026 [25].
Specialized Protection: There is a lack of dedicated funding for specialized case management for survivors of torture and legal documentation [0][27].
Education Infrastructure: Newly accessible areas of Fasher and Korma lack basic educational materials, including classrooms, textbooks, and teachers [0][21].

Recommendations

Restore Essential Services: Prioritize the restoration of health services and disease surveillance in Khartoum and Al Jazirah to support returning populations [0].
Enhance Protection: Implement dedicated protection programming that moves beyond mainstreaming to provide direct assistance for family separation, trafficking, and GBV [27].
Urgent Education Intervention: Deploy education actors to Korma and Fasher to provide temporary classrooms and school feeding programs [0][21].
Sustain Food Aid: Increase funding to WFP to prevent the scaling back of operations for the 5 million people facing IPC4 emergency hunger [0][20].

Evidence register

Sources

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