Over 200,000 people newly displaced in Sudan’s Kordofan as fighting rages

Key Points:

• Over 200,000 people have been newly displaced in Sudan’s Kordofan region due to intensified fighting since late 2023, with drone attacks targeting critical infrastructure in el-Obeid worsening the crisis, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM).
• The conflict, sparked by a power struggle between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has killed at least 59,000 people and displaced around 14 million internally, with el-Obeid’s population swelling from 750,000 to an estimated 3.4 million.
• Seasonal flooding in North Darfur has further compounded displacement, damaging homes and forcing thousands of families to flee, while conflict-related displacement continues in Blue Nile and West Darfur states.
• The RSF’s drone attacks on el-Obeid’s main power transformer have disrupted electricity, affecting water pumping, hospitals, and communications, exacerbating humanitarian needs in a region where 33.7 million people require assistance.
• The ongoing siege and attacks around el-Obeid have intensified the humanitarian crisis, with nearly 39,000 children arriving in the city in the first half of 2024, according to Save the Children.