UN warns 825,000 children in Sudan face severe malnutrition

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that an estimated 825,000 children under the age of five in Sudan are expected to suffer from severe malnutrition in 2026, placing them at high risk of death without timely treatment.

The warning comes as Sudan’s humanitarian crisis continues to worsen amid the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been ongoing since April 2023.

According to the UN, the conflict has caused widespread displacement, disrupted essential services, and significantly increased humanitarian needs across the country.

In its report, OCHA described the situation for Sudanese children as among the worst in the world, with millions affected by violence, hunger, and the collapse of basic services.

READ: Sudan’s Burhan says Khartoum will reject any proposal that fails to ensure security, stability

The agency estimated that approximately 825,000 children under five will experience severe acute malnutrition during 2026 unless access to food, healthcare, and humanitarian assistance improves.

The report highlighted particularly severe conditions in conflict-affected areas, including parts of North Darfur and Kordofan, where children continue to face shortages of food, safe drinking water, healthcare, and other essential services.

OCHA also warned that ongoing violence, displacement, family separation, and insecurity have heightened protection risks for children while limiting humanitarian access.

According to the agency, restrictions on aid delivery and continuing insecurity have left many of the most vulnerable children without access to life-saving assistance.

Since the conflict began in April 2023, the war has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced an estimated 13 million others, making Sudan one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.

READ: Arab League warns of looming humanitarian, security catastrophe in Sudan’s El-Obeid