Two-thirds of Sudan's population now require urgent humanitarian assistance, U.N. relief chief Tom Fletcher warned, as aid access is severely constrained by an ongoing conflict between the army and the RSF that began in 2023. The WHO reports at least 40,000 deaths and about 12 million displaced, while humanitarian stocks and camps — especially in Darfur and Kordofan — are critically strained. Recent RSF attacks on el-Fasher reportedly killed hundreds, prompted the flight of some 82,000 people, and prompted reports of widespread sexual violence and rising malnutrition. Diplomats are pursuing a U.S.-led cease-fire and political process, but the army conditions any truce on the RSF withdrawing from civilian areas and disarming.
Two-Thirds of Sudan in Dire Need of Aid, U.N. Says — Humanitarian Access Severely Constrained
Two-thirds of Sudan's population now require urgent humanitarian assistance, U.N. relief chief Tom Fletcher warned, as aid access is severely constrained by an ongoing conflict between the army and the RSF that began in 2023. The WHO reports at least 40,000 deaths and about 12 million displaced, while humanitarian stocks and camps — especially in Darfur and Kordofan — are critically strained. Recent RSF attacks on el-Fasher reportedly killed hundreds, prompted the flight of some 82,000 people, and prompted reports of widespread sexual violence and rising malnutrition. Diplomats are pursuing a U.S.-led cease-fire and political process, but the army conditions any truce on the RSF withdrawing from civilian areas and disarming.
11:18 PM, 11/12/2025Conflict
Two out of every three people in Sudan now need urgent humanitarian assistance, the U.N. humanitarian affairs and relief chief warned Wednesday, as aid organizations struggle to reach civilians amid intensifying fighting.
"The situation is becoming horrific for civilians," Tom Fletcher told reporters by phone from Darfur, adding that "the access we need is far too limited by the conflict."
Background: a country at war
The conflict began in 2023 when Sudan's regular army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) — once allies tasked with guiding a democratic transition after the 2019 uprising — turned their arms on one another. The World Health Organization reports at least 40,000 deaths and about 12 million displaced, though humanitarian groups warn the true toll may be substantially higher.
Overcrowded camps and collapsing supplies
As the fighting surpasses two years, basic humanitarian stocks have been severely depleted across Sudan. "People are exhausted and vulnerabilities are extremely high," Amy Pope, director-general of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), told the AP by phone from Khartoum.
A fresh wave of displaced families into the Darfur region has pushed already overcrowded camps to the breaking point and exhausted limited supplies. Aid workers say the Darfur and Kordofan regions have become epicenters of the fighting.
El-Fasher assault and reports of atrocities
Last month the RSF seized el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, a city that had been besieged for more than 18 months. Health officials reported that fighters rampaged through the city's Saudi Hospital, killing more than 450 people, and carried out door-to-door attacks that included killings and sexual assaults, according to the WHO and multiple aid groups.
Rights group Mashad Organization said hundreds of girls were subjected to sexual violence during the raids. The IOM estimated roughly 82,000 people had fled el-Fasher and nearby areas as of Nov. 4, seeking safety in towns such as Tawila.
Malnutrition and human stories
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said its teams have documented "staggering" rates of malnutrition among those who escaped el-Fasher and arrived in Tawila. Pope described harrowing accounts from people leaving the worst-hit zones, many of whom reported witnessing summary executions and seeing bodies along escape routes.
"The scale of the need is absolutely incredible," Pope said, noting that this crisis is unfolding at a time when global humanitarian assistance has faced unprecedented cuts.
Diplomacy and a proposed truce
The U.S.-led "Quad" mediator group proposed a plan in September that would begin with a three-month cease-fire followed by a nine-month political process. The RSF last week said it accepted the humanitarian truce proposal. The army has said it would consider the plan only if the RSF withdraws from populated areas and disarms.
Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohi al-Din Salem said Tuesday that his government does not engage with the Quad in an official capacity, arguing the group was not formed by a U.N. Security Council decision or an international organization, and that Sudan prefers bilateral engagement with countries such as Egypt. Egypt's foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, affirmed Cairo's opposition to any moves that could divide Sudan.
Fletcher said U.N. agencies remain in contact with the warring parties to press for safe humanitarian access and the delivery of life-saving aid.
Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report from the United Nations.