Famine has gripped at least five regions in Sudan, predominantly affecting refugee camps and communities displaced by the ongoing 20-month conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to a UN-backed report released Tuesday.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Famine Review Committee's report confirmed famine in five areas, with projections indicating it could expand to five additional regions by May 2025.
The crisis was initially declared in August 2024 at Zamzam Camp in North Darfur and has since spread to the Salam and Abu Shouk camps, as well as parts of the Nuba Mountains, between October and November 2024.
The report estimates that 638,000 individuals in these camps are already facing famine, with another 8.1 million people on the brink.
The worsening food crisis underscores the devastating impact of Sudan's protracted war, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced over 11 million people, and triggered a severe humanitarian disaster since fighting erupted in April 2023.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern, urging both warring factions to facilitate unrestricted humanitarian access to deliver aid and essential services to those in need.
The IPC report highlighted that food insecurity levels in Sudan have far exceeded previous projections. Between December 2024 and May 2025, 24.6 million Sudanese are expected to face acute food insecurity, classified as Phase 3 or higher on the IPC scale.
This alarming situation reflects an unprecedented escalation in the food and nutrition crisis, driven by ongoing conflict, massive displacement, economic collapse, the breakdown of social services, widespread societal disruption, and restricted humanitarian access.
The World Food Programme noted that areas experiencing "intense conflict," such as parts of Khartoum and Al Jazirah state, might also be enduring famine-like conditions, but a lack of official data has hindered formal classification.
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