The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has raised alarm over the rapidly evolving humanitarian crisis in Sudan, warning that shifting patterns of displacement and return are intensifying needs across the country. Three years into the conflict, millions remain caught between fleeing violence and returning to devastated communities with little or no basic services.
Sudan continues to face the world’s largest displacement crisis, with an estimated 33 million people requiring humanitarian assistance in 2026. While many families are still being forced to flee, others are returning home only to find destroyed infrastructure, no access to healthcare, clean water, or schools, and limited opportunities to rebuild their lives.
Thierry Balloy highlighted the severity of the situation, noting that many families—often women with children—have been displaced multiple times. He stressed that communities are now returning to areas where essential services no longer exist, urging the international community to increase support and solidarity.
The crisis remains highly dynamic, with conflict shifting between regions such as Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan. This has forced humanitarian organizations to continuously adapt their response to meet the needs of displaced people, returnees, and host communities simultaneously.
The IFRC, alongside the Sudanese Red Crescent Society, is prioritizing flexible approaches such as cash assistance, allowing families to address their most urgent needs, whether for food, healthcare, or rebuilding livelihoods. Ahmed Altayeb Suliman emphasized that such support helps families make critical decisions in extremely challenging circumstances, but warned that the scale of need remains overwhelming.
Humanitarian efforts are currently focused on delivering emergency healthcare services, including mental health support and mobile clinics, as well as improving water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions to reduce disease risks. Immediate relief in the form of food, water, and essential supplies is also being provided to those facing acute shortages.
The crisis has also taken on a regional dimension, with more than 4.5 million people fleeing Sudan to neighboring countries. This has placed additional pressure on already fragile systems, increasing vulnerabilities for both refugees and host communities.
Despite the growing needs, funding for humanitarian operations is declining. The IFRC has called for increased and flexible funding that can be quickly redirected as the situation evolves. Without sustained international support, the organization warns that millions of people in Sudan and across the region will continue to face worsening humanitarian conditions.
