Arabic news roundup
By William Greenwood
Save the Children: 57% of children in the Jebel Marra region of western Sudan suffer from stunting
The organisation "Save the Children" stated that a new assessment conducted in central Jebel Marra has revealed that 57% of children suffer from chronic malnutrition, known as stunting.
Jebel Marra, an area controlled by the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdul Wahid al-Nur, spans a vast region across South and Central Darfur, which has hosted hundreds of thousands of displaced people since the outbreak of the conflict.
The assessment reported that 15% of the children surveyed suffer from acute malnutrition and noted that these findings highlight the escalating impact of the conflict and the climatic phenomenon known as El Niño.
Stunting refers to a child being shorter than the average for their age, serving as an indicator of chronic or recurrent undernutrition.
Acute malnutrition, also known as "wasting," manifests as a child having a low weight in relation to their height, resulting from recent or persistent severe weight loss and leaving affected children more susceptible to illness.
The statement explained that the assessment findings showed 4 out of every 10 children (43%) had fallen ill in the two weeks prior to the survey, amid the ongoing conflict, food shortages, and limited access to healthcare, clean water, and sanitation services.
From: Sudan Tribune
United Nations: 120,000 displaced in Blue Nile State
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has announced that approximately 120,000 people have been displaced from various locations within Blue Nile State between 11 January and 15 October 2026, an increase of 21% compared to the previous update issued on 23 August.
According to the organisation, 55% of the total displaced population in the state are staying with host families while those who have been displaced more recently are increasingly reliant on informal gathering sites, which accommodate 56% of this group, as well as schools and other public buildings.
The data indicates that females make up approximately 56% of the displaced population, compared to 44% males, while children under the age of 18 account for about 45% of the total.
Qismah Abdul Karim Daldoum, the Humanitarian Aid Commissioner for the Blue Nile region, stated that the region is currently hosting 27 camps and shelters for displaced persons, amid growing humanitarian needs resulting from the war.
From: Darfur24