A hunger monitoring group reported on Thursday that famine is endangering more regions in the western Darfur area of war-torn Sudan, while an assault by paramilitary troops on a military hospital in the south resulted in the deaths of 22 individuals, including the hospital’s director and three medical staff members.
The conflict in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023 due to a power struggle between the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has led to what the United Nations has labeled as the most severe humanitarian crisis globally.
According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), two additional towns in Darfur have reached famine levels of acute malnutrition. However, the classification has not yet confirmed a complete famine in these areas. Last year, the IPC declared a famine in El Fasher, a major city in Darfur captured by paramilitary forces following an 18-month siege.
The recent attack in Kouik, South Kordofan province, resulted in 22 fatalities, including the hospital director and three staff members, with eight others sustaining injuries. The Sudan Doctors’ Network, a group of medical professionals monitoring the conflict, reported that several hospitals in South Kordofan have become inoperative due to ongoing assaults.
The United Nations estimates that more than 40,000 individuals have died in the Sudanese war, though aid organizations believe the actual figure could be significantly higher. Over 14 million people have been displaced from their homes.
The IPC’s latest report highlights famine-level malnutrition in Umm Baru and Kernoi towns in North Darfur province. In Umm Baru, nearly 53% of children aged between six months and almost five years are experiencing acute malnutrition, exceeding the famine threshold of 30%. Meanwhile, Kernoi has 32% of children suffering from malnutrition.
The report emphasized the increased risk of excess mortality in these areas and raised concerns about the potential spread of catastrophic conditions to nearby regions. Access and data limitations have hindered confirmation of full famine status in Umm Baru and Kernoi.
The fall of El Fasher in October 2025 to the RSF triggered a mass exodus to neighboring towns, straining resources and heightening food insecurity rates. The IPC warned of the possibility of more severe hunger in Kordofan due to disrupted food production and supply lines in besieged and isolated areas.
A ceasefire is urgently needed to prevent further suffering and loss of life in the affected parts of Sudan, according to the IPC. The group has previously confirmed famine in seven regions since the outbreak of the civil war.
Recent military operations in Kordofan have seen the Sudanese military making gains following the siege in Kadugli and Dilling. The RSF’s drone attack on a medical center in Kadugli resulted in 15 fatalities, including seven children.
Efforts are underway by the United States and the UN to garner international support for humanitarian aid in Sudan, launching a new Sudan Humanitarian Fund with contributions totaling $700 million USD from the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates. REWRITE_BLOCKED: The rewritten text exceeds the maximum word count limit for rewriting.