Sudan’s civil war is uprooting millions of people and crippling services, leaving the country teetering on a humanitarian precipice.
At a Glance
- More than 12.3 million people have been displaced by the Sudanese civil war as of early 2025, including over 8.8 million inside the country and 3.5 million fleeing abroad
- Over four million refugees have fled Sudan since April 2023, with Chad hosting more than 800,000 but receiving only 14% of required funding
- Internally displaced camps like Zamzam in North Darfur house over 500,000 people and are suffering famine and disease
- At least 20,000 people have been killed and nearly 25 million are facing extreme hunger amid service collapse
- The conflict has disrupted healthcare and led to cholera outbreaks threatening to spill into neighboring countries
Background of the Crisis
Since the war erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, the country has endured relentless violence and societal breakdown. By early 2025, more than 12.3 million people have been uprooted—8.8 million internally displaced and 3.5 million refugees abroad. UN officials call it the world’s worst displacement crisis. Camps inside Sudan, particularly Zamzam near El Fasher, now shelter over half a million people and face soaring malnutrition, limited access to food, and unchecked disease outbreaks.
Watch a report: Sudan war’s refugee camps in crisis.
Health and Hunger on the Brink
With Sudan’s infrastructure in ruins, outbreaks of deadly diseases have spread rapidly. Cholera has infected tens of thousands and killed nearly 1,900 across 13 states, and the World Health Organization warns of cross-border contagion as refugees pack into overcrowded camps in Chad. Meanwhile, the food crisis has intensified, with nearly 25 million people facing hunger. Aid groups report child deaths from starvation and predict rising famine-related mortality without immediate relief.
Regional Repercussions and Urgent Needs
Chad, which has taken in over 800,000 Sudanese refugees, is receiving just 14% of needed humanitarian funds. UN agencies are appealing for emergency access corridors, vaccines, and regional coordination to stem further destabilization. Yet funding remains elusive, threatening not just aid delivery but regional health security as cholera and malnutrition spill across borders. Without swift international action, Sudan’s crisis risks becoming a multi-nation disaster.
