Sudan Fighting Intensifies in Kordofan as Civilians Flee Worsening Hardship

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Sudan Fighting Intensifies in Kordofan as Civilians Flee Worsening Hardship

Heavy clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have continued across North and West Kordofan, forcing tens of thousands of civilians to flee as conditions deteriorate sharply.

According to Al Jazeera on Sunday, fighting has spread around Al Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, and Babnousa, a major town in West Kordofan. Battles were also reported in several northern communities.

Babnousa remains a crucial battleground because of its closeness to important oil fields and transport routes linking Darfur and South Kordofan.

Al Obeid, a central logistics base for the UN and humanitarian groups, has seen aid deliveries disrupted as fighting draws closer.

Military sources say RSF fighters launched drone and artillery attacks on army positions in Babnousa, heightening fears of further escalation.

Humanitarian officials reported a growing influx of displaced families. Muawia Mohamed, who heads emergency operations at the Humanitarian Aid Commission in White Nile State, confirmed that more than 16,000 people have recently arrived from North Kordofan and parts of Darfur.

White Nile State is now hosting over two million displaced civilians, with numbers rising daily as the violence spreads.

The UNICEF representative in Sudan, Sheldon Yett, said the humanitarian system is struggling to cope with the needs of people fleeing from Al Fasher, the capital of North Darfur captured by the RSF last month. Many children, he said, witnessed severe violence and atrocities during the fighting.

Sudan has been engulfed in war since April 2023, when a power struggle between the Sudanese army and the RSF spiralled into a nationwide conflict.

International and regional mediation efforts have repeatedly failed, leaving millions displaced and thousands dead.

The World Health Organization estimates that at least 40,000 people have been killed since the conflict erupted.

Aid groups warn that the combination of fighting, hunger, and the collapse of health services is creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

As battles intensify in Kordofan and Darfur, humanitarian access remains limited, raising concerns that the already dire situation could worsen in the coming weeks.

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Chioma Ndukwu

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