The humanitarian situation in Sudan continues to deteriorate rapidly, and the city of Al Fasher, capital of North Darfur, is facing some of the worst consequences of the conflict.
Since April 2023, when clashes erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), around 780,000 people have fled the city and the nearby Zamzam displacement camp. According to the International Organisation for Migration, almost 500,000 individuals have been displaced in April and May 2025 alone. Stéphane Dujarric, UN Spokesman for the Secretary-General, warned that 38% of children under five in Al Fasher are suffering from acute malnutrition, with more than 10% affected by severe acute malnutrition.
Due to the ongoing fighting, most water and health infrastructures in the region have either been destroyed or damaged, because of the lack of fuel and maintenance. This situation exposed those who remain to shortages of food and clean water. Additionally, low vaccination coverage has significantly increased the risk of disease outbreaks. The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned particularly against the spread of cholera. Since the beginning of 2025, more than 32,000 suspected cases have been reported across the country. During the first week of July 2025, more than 300 suspected cholera cases and over two dozen deaths were reported in South Darfur state alone. UN’s Dujarric affirmed that conflict and collapsing infrastructure are severely hampering response efforts.
On July 7, humanitarians further raised the alarm claiming that Al Fasher is one of the areas in the country most affected by the fighting. The overlapping challenges of displacement, destroyed infrastructure, and lack of access to basic services put the population under increasing pressure.
Approximately three-quarters of the residents of Zamzam camp have fled to neighbouring Tawila. Since April 2025, some 380,000 people have fled to the new location, putting additional stress and bringing the situation close to total collapse. Despite four new camps being set up to cope with the increase, humanitarian organisations are overwhelmed. In fact, while the UN and its partners stepped up critical humanitarian assistance, their ability to respond remains constrained by insecurity and a chronic lack of funding.
Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs highlighted the gravity of the crisis. Just over 20% of the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan, which seeks $4.2 billion to assist over 21 million vulnerable individuals, has been funded. Without adequate financial support, humanitarians warn, millions remain at risk of famine, disease, and prolonged displacement.
The UN continues to urge all parties to protect civilians, guarantee humanitarian access, and for donors to swiftly convert pledges into funding. Without urgent international action, the crisis in Sudan will worsen further, leaving millions without the support they desperately need.
To read more, please visit:
- https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/07/1165340
- https://press.un.org/en/2025/db250707.doc.htm
- https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/sudan-cholera-operational-update-3-july-2025#:~:text=In%202025%20alone%2C%20over%2032%2C000,amid%20conflict%20and%20collapsing%20infrastructure.
- https://www.nrc.no/news/2025/july/sudan-darfur-displacement
