Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
Intensified conflict in West Kordofan, South Kordofan, Khartoum, and North Darfur led to nearly 100,000 new displaced within or across neighbouring states. Over 1.1 million returnees have been recorded to Aj Jazirah, Sennar and Khartoum.
UNICEF and partners screened 1.3 million children for malnutrition in May. 17,766 children were identified with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). 6,713 have already been enrolled for treatment.
UNICEF delivered 5.7 million doses of life-saving vaccines – including Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), and Polio. Additionally, 2.9 million Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) doses were supplied to Khartoum and North Kordofan, targeting 2.9 million people above one year old.
As of May, 73 per cent of UNICEF’s humanitarian funding requirements remain unmet, hampering delivery for millions of children whose survival, wellbeing and dignity are at risk.
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SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
The humanitarian situation in Sudan remained dire, driven by a combination of escalating armed conflict, disease outbreaks, and famine risks. In May 2025, the conflict intensified in West Kordofan, South Kordofan, Khartoum, and North Darfur states, triggering a new wave of displacement. Nearly 100,000 people were forced to flee their homes in search of safety within or across neighbouring states.
In West Kordofan8 , violent clashes in and around An Nuhud and Alkhiwai towns displaced approximately 60,415 individuals. In South Kordofan9 , fighting in El Quoz locality (Al Hamadi and Dibebat towns) and Ghadeer (Um Dahalib area) caused significant displacement.
Kadugli was affected by shelling, displacing a further 13,520 individuals. Of these, approximately 11,930 fled Dibebat town, while 1,950 people were displaced from Ghadeer to Abu Jubayhah locality in South Kordofan.
In Khartoum state, the latest military clashes in Omdurman (Al Salha area) led to the displacement of 9,730 individuals, most of them within Omdurman and Karrari localities11 . In El Fasher, North Darfur, ongoing shelling, attacks, and a severe siege have led to continued displacement, particularly from Abu Shouk IDP camp to Tawilla. In May alone, around 7,430 people fled El Fasher to Tawilla and other areas in North Darfur.
Access constraints continued to hamper humanitarian operations in conflict-affected areas, particularly in West and South Kordofan and El Fasher in North Darfur. Despite these challenges, UNICEF successfully delivered life-saving supplies from Chad to El Fulla (West Kordofan) and continues to utilise crossline and cross-border modalities to reach those in need.
Drone attacks targeting civilian infrastructure – including fuel depots and power facilities – were reported across several states, including Port Sudan. These attacks displaced approximately 3,350 people from various neighbourhoods in Port Sudan to other areas within the city and to localities such as Al Ganb, Tawkar, Hala’ib, Jubayt Elma’aadin, Sinkat, Sawakin, and Agig.
Amid ongoing displacement, a notable trend of returns emerged – particularly to Aj Jazirah. Over 1.1 million returnees have been documented, contributing to a 13 per cent reduction in the total number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), now estimated at 10.1 million. Most returnees have resettled in Aj Jazirah (80 per cent), Sennar (15 per cent) and Khartoum (five per cent).
At the same time, the health crisis continues to escalate. A resurgence of cholera cases was reported in late May, particularly affecting Khartoum, South Darfur, Sennar, and Northern states. In 2025 alone, over 23,000 cases have been reported across 13 states, resulting in 444 deaths (1.9 per cent case fatality rate). Since July 2024, cumulative cases have exceeded 73,000, with Khartoum the worst affected, accounting for over 16,000 and 23 deaths this year (1.4 per cent CFR).
The cholera outbreak is being fuelled by a combination of insecurity, widespread outages, severe water shortages and limited access to primary healthcare and WASH services. These factors are expected to worsen during the upcoming rainy season (July – September), further complicating disease control and response efforts.
Combined with the collapse of basic health, nutrition, WASH, and child protection services- and the growing risk of famine- these conditionsfurther, and more significantly heighten the risk to children’s lives. Every effort must be made to prevent this outcome.