Each year, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) publishes its Emergency Watchlist, identifying countries at the highest risk of new or worsening humanitarian crises. For the second year in a row, Sudan tragically tops the list. Its collapse is accelerating due to a brutal war that has had a devastating impact on civilians.

Even before the war erupted in April 2023, Sudan was already experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis that left 15.8 million people in need of aid. Now, over two years of war have drastically worsened these conditions, displacing over 12 million people and leaving 30.4 million people—more than half of Sudan’s population—in need of humanitarian support.

Sudan now represents the largest recorded and fastest displacement crisis in the world. It is also the largest humanitarian crisis ever recorded.

What do the people of Sudan face today?

More than two years of civil war have decimated Sudan. Civilians are subject to frequent attacks and human rights violations, while the country’s health care system has collapsed as life-threatening famine sets in. Attacks on humanitarian aid workers have made it difficult to deliver lifesaving aid to some of the most fragile and vulnerable communities in the world.

War continues to rage in Sudan

Sudan’s civil war, waged between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), erupted on April 15, 2023, plunging the country into chaos. Civilians bear the brunt of the conflict; sexual violence is widespread, fighters on both sides regularly target civilians and infrastructure, and child soldier recruitment is common. Human rights groups have accused fighters in Darfur of ethnic cleansing.

Tens of thousands have been killed, with indiscriminate attacks on civilians being reported.

Rather than advancing diplomacy, outside powers are fueling the conflict by funneling weapons to their allies. SAF and RSF leaders appear to believe that continued fighting best serves their interests, leaving Sudan on a trajectory toward catastrophic humanitarian collapse.

What is happening in El Fasher, Darfur?

Needs are acute in Darfur: thousands of families are fleeing El Fasher, the state’s largest city, to join nearly 400,000 displaced persons who have been seeking safety and humanitarian services in neighboring Tawila. 

Despite reports of large numbers of families attempting to flee toward Tawila, IRC teams on the ground have seen fewer than 5,000 arrive. With El Fasher's remaining civilian population estimated to be around 250,000 people, this suggests that many may be dead, trapped, or facing severe risks along the route.

IRC teams in Tawila spoke with people who recently arrived, who reported walking directly from El Fasher, traveling mostly at night on foot. Along the way, they witnessed numerous dead bodies scattered along the route and wounded individuals crying for help.

Arjan Hehenkamp, IRC Darfur crisis lead, says, “People arriving from El Fasher are coming from what can only be described as a hellscape, a city torn apart by conflict, destruction, and despair. They come with nothing but the clothes on their backs, severely traumatized, looking for safety and support.”

Despite ongoing efforts by humanitarian actors like the IRC, basic needs in Tawila are being overwhelmed by demand. Families are living in overcrowded, makeshift shelters with limited access to clean water, food and health care.

Altuma stands in her temporary house with her three children.
Conflict forced Altuma, 46, and her nine children to flee their home in Khartoum, displacing them multiple times. Now in Gedaref, they face the challenge of living in temporary housing with limited protection from the weather conditions.
Photo: Noory Taha for the IRC

Sudan is the world’s largest and fastest displacement crisis

The war in Sudan has created extreme levels of displacement, both internally and across Sudan’s borders. More than 12 million people have been displaced since April 2023, including nearly 4 million people—mostly women and children—who have fled to neighboring countries.

While neighboring countries—such as Chad and South Sudan—have welcomed Sudanese refugees fleeing conflict, they lack the resources to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of those arriving across the border without international support. Meanwhile, U.S. aid cuts have deepened the crisis, forcing organizations to scale back some essential services to refugees, particularly in South Sudan.

The majority of displaced Sudanese, more than 7 million people, remain in the country, where they struggle to access clean water, food, health care and essential survival supplies.

Meet three Sudanese heroes who have risked their lives to save others.

Famine grips communities

Famine is spreading across Sudan as violence severely hinders humanitarians’ ability to deliver food where it's needed most. Meanwhile, soaring food prices and a collapse of food supply have left families starving.

Between December 2024 and May 2025, more than 24 million people in Sudan faced acute food insecurity. Over 635,000 people, including in the country’s largest camp for displaced people, are experiencing famine conditions and a heightened risk of death. The severe food shortage also leaves people vulnerable to illness and infection due to a lack of essential nutrients.

More people are living in famine conditions in Sudan than the rest of the world combined. 

“This crisis is entirely man-made,” explains IRC country director for Sudan, Eatizaz Yousif. “The ongoing conflict has decimated livelihoods, displaced millions, and blocked life-saving aid from reaching those in desperate need.”

A health system on the brink of collapse

The war in Sudan has devastated the country’s public infrastructure, including its health system. More than 70% of Sudan’s hospitals have been destroyed, leaving millions without access to essential medical care as disease outbreaks surge. With health care access severely limited, a cholera outbreak has spread across Sudan, resulting in more than 120,000 confirmed cases and over 3,000 deaths.

Almas holds her son Hermon while receiving vital support from an IRC nutrition specialist.
Almas, 28, a mother displaced from the conflict in Khartoum, holds her son Hermon while receiving vital support from an IRC nutrition specialist in Gedaref, Sudan.
Photo: Noory Taha for the IRC

Women and children face heightened risks

The ongoing crisis in Sudan is taking a devastating toll on women and girls. The collapse of critical health care services has put new mothers at risk of losing their lives in the months ahead, as it has become nearly impossible to access essential reproductive care.

Gender-based violence is escalating. Reports of intimate partner violence, sexual exploitation, abuse and trafficking are widespread, while survivors struggle to access support. Economic hardship has stripped countless women of their livelihoods, forcing many into desperate and exploitative situations, and increasing their vulnerability.

In Darfur, alarming reports of sexual violence underscore the immense suffering endured by those in dire conditions, revealing the exceptional vulnerability of women and children.

Urgent action is needed to address these atrocities and provide support to those affected.

Fairuz stands outside the camp with her grandchildren.
The conflict has driven families across borders to transit centers like this one in Renk, South Sudan. Fairuz Faiz Deng, 60, arrived here in May 2023 with her brother and his family, and her grandchildren.
Photo: Fahmo Mohammed for the IRC

How is the IRC helping in Sudan?

The IRC has scaled up its humanitarian response in Sudan despite immense challenges, including office closures and suspensions due to security concerns. We are supporting Sudanese communities by delivering:

Shortly after conflict broke out in April 2023, the IRC established a presence in Wad Madani, Al Jazirah state where we delivered health and nutrition services to IDPs fleeing Khartoum until we were forced to close the office and relocate our staff. We currently operate in Blue Nile, Khartoum, Gedaref, River Nile, South Kordofan, West Darfur, North Darfur and White Nile states, and have an office in Port Sudan.

The IRC delivers direct support to clients in accessible areas of Khartoum, as well as indirect support through our locally-based community partners.

In El Fasher, Darfur, the IRC works with a local partner to deliver mobile health and nutrition services. We also manage five primary health care units and provide emergency water supply in Tawila, Darfur. Additionally, we operate mobile health and nutrition teams in the Tawila and Um Jalbakh regions to serve displaced communities.

You can help—support the IRC’s response today.

Zakia, a midwife, points to an informational poster.
Zakia Yaqoup (43), a midwife, works with IRC to offer vital prenatal care and delivery support to displaced women in Gedaref.
Photo: Noory Taha for the IRC

How is the IRC helping Sudanese refugees?

Nearly 4 million Sudanese refugees have sought safety in neighboring countries since April 2023. In response, the IRC has scaled up our critical services to support them, including in Ethiopia, South Sudan and Chad—which already hosted 400,000 Sudanese refugees prior to the war.

Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, the IRC is providing emergency aid and long-term support to refugees and local communities affected by conflict and climate shocks. This includes health care, nutrition, education, protection for women and children, and livelihood support. With active programs in nine regions, the IRC continues to help Sudanese refugees rebuild their lives.

Chad

The IRC has supported Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad since 2004. More than ninety percent of the 850,000 Sudanese refugees who have arrived in Chad since April 2023 are women and children. One-fifth of young children who arrive are experiencing acute malnutrition.

As new arrivals continue to cross the border, the IRC is expanding health, nutrition, and protection services, as well as access to clean water, sanitation, and mental health support. Teams are being deployed to refugee camps and host communities to meet growing needs.

A mother sits in a hospital room with a newborn child in her lap. Mosquito netting offers a thin veil of the room behind them.
Raouda* holds her newborn child, AbdelIrahim, in the IRC’s health center in Gaga refugee camp, Chad. Raouda was displaced by the war in Sudan and forced to flee across the border while she was nine months pregnant.
Photo: Chloé Leconte for the IRC

How can I help the people of Sudan?

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is delivering comprehensive humanitarian aid across Sudan and in neighboring countries where refugees are seeking safety. Our teams are on the ground, navigating security risks and displacement, to bring care directly to those most in need, including in difficult-to-access regions at the frontline of war.

Your support can help the IRC deliver lifesaving medical services, food, water, livelihood assistance and other essential aid, where it's needed most.

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