The United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF) has warned of an “unprecedented level” of child malnutrition in North Darfur, Sudan, as the ongoing conflict forces families to flee fighting and famine-stricken areas. Immediate humanitarian access is urgently needed to prevent further deaths among children trapped in the war-torn region.

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Alarming Malnutrition Rates

UNICEF’s latest assessment in Um Baru locality revealed:

• 53% of 500 children screened were acutely malnourished.
• 1 in 6 children suffered from severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening condition that can be fatal within weeks if untreated.

“Children in Um Baru are fighting for their lives and need immediate help,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
“Every day without safe and unhindered access increases the risk of children growing weaker and more death and suffering from causes that are entirely preventable.”

Many of these children recently arrived from el-Fasher, where intensified fighting in late October 2025 forced over 100,000 residents to flee. Survivors report mass atrocities, including killings, sexual assault, and detentions, carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

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El-Fasher: A “Crime Scene”

On Friday, a UN humanitarian team visited el-Fasher for the first time in two years, finding the city largely deserted. Denise Brown, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, described it as a “crime scene”:

“The town was not teeming with people. There were very few people that [they] were able to see. Those who remained were living in empty buildings or rudimentary camps using basic plastic sheets.”

The UN remains concerned about injured residents and those who may be detained. The RSF has not issued a comment regarding the visit.

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Worsening Humanitarian Crisis

The RSF has consolidated control over Darfur following el-Fasher’s fall and is now pushing east into the Kordofan region, maintaining sieges on cities including Kadugli and Dilling. This expansion has intensified the hunger crisis, leaving many areas abandoned or turned into “ghost towns”.

UN Assistant Secretary-General Mohamed Khaled Khiari told the UN Security Council:

“Each passing day brings staggering levels of violence and destruction. Civilians are enduring immense, unimaginable suffering, with no end in sight.”

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Calls for Peace

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate ceasefire, while Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris presented a peace plan at the UN Security Council, demanding the disarmament of the RSF. The RSF dismissed the plan as “wishful thinking”, while General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sudanese army, emphasized that the war will only end if the RSF lays down its arms.

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Conflict Background

The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023, triggered by a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Since then:

• Over 12 million people displaced
• Tens of thousands of civilians killed
• Widespread famine and malnutrition in multiple regions
• El-Fasher saw mass atrocities, including killings, sexual violence, and detentions

UNICEF and other humanitarian agencies warn that without urgent aid, children in North Darfur, especially in areas around el-Fasher and Um Baru, face life-threatening malnutrition.