10-16 May 2026 Sudan News Summary: millions at risk from famine, survivors of sexual violence, drones kill hundreds

17 May

Arabic news roundup

By William Greenwood

The World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a joint statement that conflict, displacement, and restricted humanitarian access are putting more than 825,000 children at risk of death from acute malnutrition this year.
The statement reported that nearly 100,000 children were treated for severe acute malnutrition, which can be fatal if not treated urgently, between January and March.
It warned that 19.5 million people are facing crisis levels of acute food insecurity, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, a UN-backed international monitoring system that measures hunger crises.
The statement indicated that the analysis revealed that nearly 135,000 people are facing catastrophic food insecurity and are at risk of famine in 14 hotspots in North Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan.
It noted that the analysis classified more than 5 million of the 19.5 million people as being in the emergency phase.
There are fears that the situation could worsen with the spread of severe hunger during the ‘dry’ season, which extends from June to September and comes after the end-of-year food stocks of most Sudanese families have run out.
From: Sudan Tribune

Hundreds of survivors of sexual violence in displacement camps in Tawila, North Darfur, are facing extremely complex humanitarian and psychological conditions, amid a lack of protection, health services, and psychological support, according to testimonies from victims and humanitarian workers.
Human rights sources confirmed that more than 500 cases of sexual assault have been documented among those fleeing El Fasher and its surrounding areas, while violations continue as waves of displacement escalate.
Displacement camps in Tawila have become a forced refuge for women and girls who suffered violations during their escape from El Fasher and Zamzam camp, but the harsh conditions within these camps are forcing many survivors to focus on survival rather than psychological and social recovery.

By Samuel Hunt

Nearly 19.5 million people across Sudan, over 40% of the population, are facing acute hunger according to the UN-backed IPC, with families reported eating leaves, animal feed, and slaughterhouse remains to survive.
MSF International President Dr Javid Abdelmoneim, returning from a visit to five hospitals across Darfur, warned that attacks on healthcare, vast distances, and global funding cuts, which have seen support withdrawn from over 45 health centres in Central Darfur alone, are compounding an already devastating crisis ahead of the rainy season.
Drone strikes have killed at least 880 civilians since January, replacing ground campaigns as the leading mode of warfare and targeting markets, hospitals and power stations, while camps around Tawila hold hundreds of thousands of displaced people in deteriorating conditions ahead of the rainy season.

Sources: MSF, Al Jazeera, FAO

Bill Greenwood