A global hunger monitoring group warned that famine is endangering more regions in Sudan’s war-torn western Darfur area. The group reported that an assault by paramilitary forces on a military hospital in the country’s south resulted in the deaths of 22 individuals, including the hospital director and three medical staff members.
The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023 due to a power struggle between the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has led to what the United Nations describes as the most severe humanitarian crisis globally. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) released a new report indicating that acute malnutrition has escalated to famine levels in two additional towns in Darfur, though it did not confirm a complete famine in these locations.
The attack in the town of Kouik in South Kordofan province left eight people injured, as reported by the Sudan Doctors’ Network. The network highlighted that this attack is part of a series of assaults that have disrupted South Kordofan, rendering several hospitals non-operational.
The UN estimates that more than 40,000 individuals have lost their lives in the Sudanese war, with over 14 million people displaced from their homes. The IPC’s recent report revealed alarming levels of malnutrition in Umm Baru and Kernoi in North Darfur province, with a significant percentage of children suffering from acute malnutrition.
The fall of El Fasher in October 2025 to the RSF prompted a mass exodus of people to neighboring towns, intensifying food insecurity rates. The report warned of potential increases in extreme hunger in Kordofan due to disrupted food production and supply lines.
The IPC emphasized the urgent need for a sustained ceasefire to prevent further suffering and loss of life in Sudan. The group outlined the criteria for determining famine, including death rates from malnutrition-related causes, severe food shortages, and high rates of acute malnutrition in children.
Despite ongoing fighting in various regions, the Sudanese military has made recent advancements in Kordofan after breaking sieges in Kadugli and Dilling. Efforts are underway to garner international support for humanitarian aid in Sudan through initiatives like the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which has received contributions from the United States and the United Arab Emirates.