25-31 January 2026 Sudan News Summary: siege of Dilling broken, women face war’s harshest toll

1 Feb

Arabic news roundup

By William Greenwood

On Friday, essential goods flowed into Dilling, the second largest city in South Kordofan State, immediately resulting in a significant drop in prices in local markets.
This breakthrough comes after the Sudanese army announced on January 26th that it had ended the siege of the city by linking it from the east to North Kordofan State.
More than ten trucks loaded with sugar, flour, corn, onions, and fuel reached the city from North Kordofan; this is the first convoy of this size to reach Dilling in over two years.
Local sources confirmed the availability of most goods in the markets.
The sources reported that large quantities of onions were available in the markets, while corn prices plummeted, with a sack now costing around 40,000 Sudanese pounds compared to 400,000 previously. The price of a kilogram of sugar dropped to about 3.4 pounds, down from around 25,000 pounds.
Previously, residents relied on smuggling operations using pack animals across rugged terrain from West Kordofan State, journeys that could take days, before the tightening of the siege imposed by the Rapid Support Forces in coordination with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North.

Displaced people in Kalma camp in South Darfur described the humanitarian situation inside the camp as catastrophic, citing a severe shortage of health and water services.
They warned of the repercussions of the Alight organisation's decision to suspend its services, a move they considered a major shock that will lead to a critical gap, especially since the organisation's health centre was receiving approximately 250 cases of children daily, in addition to its vital role in providing drinking water.
The displaced people appealed to donors to reconsider their decisions and increase the support allocated for 2026 to combat the widespread outbreak of malaria, measles, and cases of acute malnutrition.
The International Medical Corps (IMC) and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) are still providing services but the pressure exceeds available resources, particularly at Centre Zero, which is facing complex challenges, amidst a clear weakness in the response of national organisations and other humanitarian agencies.

By Samuel Hunt

In displacement areas and rural communities, Sudanese women are breaking long-standing social and cultural norms to survive, taking on exhausting manual labour and informal work to feed their families as livelihoods collapse and men are killed, displaced or unable to earn income.
In camps and host communities, women shoulder the burden of displacement, often caring for children, the elderly and the wounded while facing limited access to food, healthcare and protection.
Nationwide, the conflict is reshaping gender roles as women adopt survival strategies under extreme pressure, exposing them to heightened risks of hunger, violence and long-term hardship.
In South Kordofan, women are among civilians killed and injured in RSF drone attacks that have struck populated areas, compounding fear and trauma in communities already affected by displacement and insecurity.

Sources: Al Jazeera, NBC, Reuters, Al Jazeera

In Khartoum, residents are slowly returning and beginning to rebuild after nearly three years of war, clearing rubble and repairing damaged buildings in a capital still scarred by destroyed infrastructure, unexploded ordnance, and barely functioning basic services.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says more than three million people have returned to their areas of origin across Sudan, most of them to Khartoum and Al Jazirah states, often finding homes, schools and health facilities damaged or destroyed.
IOM warns that returns do not mean recovery, as a growing number of returnees face severe shortages of shelter, water, healthcare, and livelihoods, risking deeper humanitarian needs without sustained support.
Across Sudan, the displacement crisis has reached a peak, with around 14 million people forced from their homes, even as millions consider returning to devastated areas despite ongoing insecurity and limited services.

Bill Greenwood