Sudan's Kordofan Sees 200,000 New Displacements Amid Ongoing Conflict

The United Nations has issued a warning that displacement in Sudan’s western Kordofan region is accelerating as attacks on critical power and water infrastructure in the city of El Obeid intensify. According to a statement from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the destruction of electricity lines and water treatment facilities has left many residents without basic utilities, prompting a surge of people to flee their homes in search of safety and basic services.

The latest assaults on El Obeid’s infrastructure have disrupted power supplies for several days and cut off potable water for large swaths of the city, according to local officials and humanitarian agencies on the ground. The resulting humanitarian crisis has forced thousands of civilians—particularly women, children, and the elderly—to seek shelter in overcrowded camps or makeshift shelters in neighboring towns. Humanitarian groups report that the lack of electricity hampers refrigeration of medical supplies and the operation of hospitals, while the water shortage has heightened the risk of disease outbreaks.

In response, the UN has called on all parties to the conflict to respect the protection of civilian infrastructure and to allow unhindered humanitarian access. The agency urges the international community to support emergency relief efforts and to work toward a durable cease‑fire that would enable the restoration of essential services and the safe return of displaced residents.