9-15 August 2026 Sudan News Summary: Attacks, heavy rains, and grain shortages

16 Aug

Arabic news roundup

By William Greenwood

On Friday, authorities in North Kordofan State announced that 18 civilians were killed in an attack by the RSF on the town of Umm Arada, and that hundreds of families had fled the town to El Obeid in the latest wave of displacement.
Mohamed Ismail, the Humanitarian Aid Commissioner for North Kordofan State, stated that the RSF attack on Umm Arada—located approximately 25 kilometres southwest of El Obeid—resulted in 18 deaths and 17 injuries, in addition to the displacement of over 300 families who traveled on foot to reach El Obeid.
He confirmed that the Humanitarian Aid Commission is making arrangements to transport those who wish to go to displacement camps.
The city of El Obeid hosts approximately 1.3 million displaced persons, including around 105,000 living in eight camps.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that heavy rains in the Tawila locality of North Darfur State displaced approximately 975 families, destroying 975 homes completely and partially damaging another 373.
The organisation further stated that rains and flash floods sweeping through the town of Shangil Tobaya—located in the Dar Al-Salam locality of North Darfur—displaced around 46 families and destroyed 46 homes.
Affected families have sought refuge in temporary shelters in open areas within the locality, with the IOM noting that these figures are preliminary estimates subject to verification and updating, as its teams continue to monitor displacement trends and population movements across Sudan.

Local residents across various cities, villages, and towns in the Darfur and Kordofan regions have reported a sharp rise in the prices of millet and sorghum, as well as their disappearance from markets, with warnings that the ongoing crisis could signal an impending famine in both regions.
Civil administrations affiliated with the Tasis coalition government in South and East Darfur—along with the civil administration in the town of Kutum, North Darfur—have imposed restrictions on transporting various types of millet and sorghum outside their respective jurisdictions.
This has forced citizens to rely on alternatives amidst soaring prices and the unavailability of goods caused by fighting in Kordofan, the closure of the El Debba road in the Northern State, and the blocking of the border triangle route for goods arriving from Libya.
Warnings have been raised that the current situation could lead to an imminent, uncontrollable famine, with reports of a reverse migration of residents toward major cities including Nyala and Ed Daein.
In the town of Hamrat al-Sheikh in North Kordofan, residents confirmed that the town and surrounding areas have been affected by the ban on transporting sorghum and millet to other regions.
The ban on transporting sorghum and millet out of Darfur has led traders to hoard these commodities and drive up prices, exploiting public fears of an approaching famine.

Bill Greenwood