Sudan’s suffering is plain for all to see say aid teams, as brutal war continues
A staggering 15.4 million people urgently require shelter across the country, where war that erupted in April 2023 between former allies turned rival military forces is deepening the suffering of civilians.
“Just yesterday, we had 16 trucks arriving in Darfur, but they were just the last that we had in our stocks. We are facing serious problems. Our supplies are running out,” said Mohamed Refaat, Chief of mission in Sudan for the UN migration agency, IOM, speaking from Khartoum.
Aid access to vulnerable displaced and returning people is better than it was, meaning that “we can reach more people”, the veteran humanitarian officer noted.
But “this means also that we can listen to the stories of their suffering…We cannot say that we don’t know”.
‘More than just a shelter’
Shifting front lines also continue to force more families to flee their homes, leaving many without anywhere safe to sleep or even a blanket to stay warm, insisted Abubakarr Jalloh, UN refugee agency (UNHCR)’s Deputy Representative in Sudan, speaking via video from Khartoum.
“For a woman who has lost everything, a tent is more than just a shelter; it means the difference between sleeping in the open, surrounded by strangers and having a space of her own. It means dignity. It is privacy. And it is safety for that woman and family.”
For people displaced by conflict, “a solar lamp is more than just a source of light, it is safety,” Mr. Jalloh continued.
“It means a woman can reach a latrine at night without walking in darkness. A kitchen set is also more than a collection of household items. It means a mother can cook for children, without exposing herself to the unnecessary risk.”
In a joint statement issued on Friday, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) stressed that humanitarian agencies can only assist around one in 10 of those in need because of funding shortages today.
Families struggling to cope
Three in four internally displaced people in Sudan are women and children, Mr. Jalloh said, adding that El Niño-related weather conditions have made people more vulnerable because of significantly below-average rainfall across Sudan this year.
This has affected harvests in Darfur, Kordofan and other areas already devastated by ongoing fighting. Although food prices would normally ease after the harvest season, prices remain “painfully high”, the UNHCR official said.
“For a family that has lost everything, every Sudanese pound spent on food is money that cannot be spent on a blanket or on materials needed for safe shelter,” Mr. Jalloh stressed.
Emergency stocks exhausted
As emergency supplies reaching critically low levels, the UN agencies warned that unless flexible funding is urgently provided, more families will face the coming winter months unprotected from harsh weather conditions, insecurity and the risks of violence and exploitation.
“This year, I was able to distribute more than 40,000 tonnes [of relief assistance]. But our warehouses are completely empty now,” Mr. Refaat said, also speaking via video from Khartoum.
Refugee exodus
More than 5.2 million people have returned to their areas of origin but many are unable to go back to their homes, as countless numbers have been destroyed or looted.
Healthcare, electricity and water services are also largely unavailable in many locations, meaning that people might be forced to leave again, “without any hope of returning”.
The IOM official also highlighted that Sudanese nationals now constitute the largest nationality arriving in Europe via the so-called Eastern Mediterranean route. “If we are not able to provide aid in Sudan at scale, it means neighbouring countries will be impacted, other countries will be impacted,” he said.
Despite facing the world’s largest displacement crisis, Sudan’s 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan remains severely underfunded. Only 47 per cent of the required $2.9 billion has been received so far.
Mr. Refaat said that millions of Sudanese families have already lost so much: “We cannot undo what they have endured, but we can make sure that they have a safe place to sleep tonight.”
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