Red Cross warns of worsening Sudan crisis as displacement shifts

Humanitarian needs in Sudan are worsening as shifting patterns of displacement and return reshape conditions across the country, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Monday.

“The needs are immense and changing every day, we see people returning to areas where basic services no longer exist, no water, no healthcare, no schools,” said Thierry Balloy, IFRC head of delegation in Sudan.

Sudan remains the world’s largest displacement crisis, with an estimated 33 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in 2026, the Red Cross said.

Millions are both fleeing violence and returning to devastated communities, forcing aid actors to adapt in real time, according to the organization.

The IFRC and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society are adjusting their response, with cash assistance playing a key role.

“The needs are overwhelming. Sudan cannot be forgotten,” said Ahmed Altayeb Suliman, secretary-general of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society.

The IFRC also warned that declining funding threatens the humanitarian response and called for urgent international support.

Fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, which erupted in April 2023, has killed thousands and displaced millions.