Geneva, July 4 (SANA) The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Saturday that displacement in Sudan’s Kordofan region has risen sharply as violence intensifies and attacks by the Rapid Support Forces expand.
In a report published on its website, the agency said more than 87,000 people were newly displaced in Kordofan over the past four months, bringing the total number of displaced to over 219,000 by the end of June 2026, a 65% increase since October 2025.
The IOM said Kordofan has become one of Sudan’s main displacement hubs since the outbreak of war in 2023, hosting around 1 million internally displaced people, or roughly 11% of the country’s total displaced population.
It added that the city of El Obeid has become a major shelter for displaced families but is under severe pressure on basic services and housing, hosting about 500,000 people, including more than 83,000 internally displaced.
Over the past two weeks, El Obeid has been hit by drone attacks targeting power infrastructure, fuel facilities and civilian sites, causing casualties and raising concerns over further escalation.
The IOM warned that funding shortages and worsening security conditions are restricting humanitarian access, noting that more than 30 million people in Sudan are expected to require assistance in 2026 amid a significant funding gap.
The agency called for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers and for safe, unimpeded access for aid deliveries across Kordofan and Sudan, as the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces continues to fuel one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The conflict in Sudan erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces following tensions over plans to integrate the RSF into the military. The war has displaced more than 9 million people inside the country and forced over 1.6 million to flee abroad, according to the IOM.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has described the situation as one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis, citing widespread food insecurity, disease outbreaks and protection concerns. On Friday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that El Obeid is facing a worsening human rights crisis amid a prolonged siege, acute water shortages and sustained drone strikes.
KhA / AbdRh
