Press release on the catastrophic humanitarian situation of internally displaced persons in North Darfur, Republic of Sudan

 

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) expresses its deep concern at the unprecedented scale of internal displacement in Sudan and the resulting rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation. The country is experiencing the world’s most serious internal displacement crisis, with nearly nine million people displaced within the country and millions more forced to flee across borders to neighbouring states. Persistent clashes, particularly around El Fasher (North Darfur), are exposing civilians to extreme risks, while humanitarian access remains severely hampered.

Since the capture of El-Fasher on 26 October 2025, successive waves of families have fled to neighbouring localities that are already saturated, notably Tawila, Mellit and Saraf Omra. Between 26 October and 9 November, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimated that nearly 90,000 people had been newly displaced from El-Fasher and surrounding villages; between 26 October and 2 November alone, UNICEF recorded more than 70,800 departures. The escape routes remain dangerous and the reception sites are struggling to absorb these arrivals, which include an The Commission is also alarmed by reports of famine conditions in El Fasher (North Darfur) and Kadugli (South Kordofan), as well as a critical risk of famine in other areas, if humanitarian access is not secured and intensified as a matter of urgency.

The Commission reminds the belligerents of their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law and reiterates the need to effectively implement the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Kampala Convention on the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons, and all other relevant instruments for the protection of internally displaced persons in Sudan.

Given the urgency of the situation, the Commission, while reiterating the conclusions and recommendations of its Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on Sudan, once again calls for rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, including through the opening of safe corridors to and from El Fasher and other besieged areas — notably the El Fasher–Tawila corridor — as well as security guarantees for civilians, humanitarian and health personnel and facilities.

In the reception areas, humanitarian assessments report immediate survival needs (shelter, water, healthcare) and overexposure of women and children to violence, including sexual violence. Acute malnutrition rates among children newly arrived in Tawila exceed 70% for those under five, while relief operations in North Darfur are described as ‘on the brink of collapse’ due to insecurity, access restrictions and underfunding. At the same time, unaccompanied and separated children are being identified and, in some cases, reunited with their families, but care capacities remain very limited.

The Commission urges international partners to urgently increase funding for nutrition, health, protection and education, and encourages enhanced monitoring of population movements by the IOM, data registration and disaggregation in order to better target the response, including family reunification for unaccompanied or separated children.

The Commission expresses its full solidarity with internally displaced persons, host communities and the entire Sudanese people. It commends the dedication of humanitarian actors operating in extremely difficult conditions and reaffirms the need to adopt urgent protection measures aimed at opening up and securing assistance, stabilising displacement sites and preventing further loss of life.

Done at Banjul, 14 November 2025.

Commissioner Selma SASSI-SAFER

Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa

Commissioner Essaim HATEM

Commissioner in charge of the human rights situation in Sudan

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR).