Sudan: 19.5m facing acute hunger

What's happened

The U.N.-backed IPC has reported that 19.5 million Sudanese—over 40% of the population—are facing acute hunger in 2026, with 135,000 in catastrophic (Phase 5) conditions and 825,000 children expected to suffer severe acute malnutrition. Fighting, drone strikes and disrupted supply routes are blocking aid and will worsen conditions during the July planting season.

What's behind the headline?

What the numbers mean

The IPC has found 19.5 million people are facing acute food insecurity, and 135,000 are in Phase 5 — "extreme food gaps, starvation, very high malnutrition, and death." This is a broad, operational measure that will guide international relief priorities.

Drivers of deterioration

Fighting is concentrating along supply routes (notably El Obeid and areas around al-Fashir and Kadugli), and is preventing food, medical and humanitarian deliveries.
Drone warfare is now killing civilians and striking markets, hospitals and power infrastructure, which is interrupting local markets and health services and is increasing mortality risk.
Regional disruptions linked to the Iran crisis and Gulf shipping problems are increasing fuel and fertiliser prices, which will raise planting costs and reduce harvest prospects.

Immediate consequences

Aid deliveries will continue to be restricted where hostilities are active, so malnutrition caseloads will rise: the IPC expects 825,000 children under five to suffer severe acute malnutrition in 2026.
The July–September rainy and lean season will magnify shortages and will force more families into harmful coping strategies (eating leaves, animal feed, breaking into slaughterhouses).

Outlook and likely next steps

Without large, secure humanitarian access and restored supply lines, famine risk will expand beyond the 14 currently identified high-risk areas and child malnutrition will increase.
International agencies will need to negotiate secure corridors and surge funding; militaries on both sides will need to cease targeting civilian infrastructure for any meaningful improvement to occur.

Why this matters to readers

This will become one of the largest and most protracted hunger crises globally and will drive displacement, regional instability and increased humanitarian spending. Donors and policymakers will face rising pressure to deliver access and resources rapidly.

How we got here

Long-running tensions between the Sudanese armed forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have erupted into a three-year war since April 2023, displacing some 14 million, killing hundreds of thousands and wrecking agriculture. Last year's IPC estimate was 21.2 million; sieges, drone warfare and regional price shocks have since reshaped access to food and aid.

Our analysis

The IPC assessment is being reported consistently across outlets. The Associated Press quoted the IPC describing Phase 5 conditions as "extreme food gaps, starvation, very high levels of malnutrition, and death due to disease or acute malnutrition," and highlighted that "conditions are expected to deteriorate further in the upcoming June–September lean season." Reuters emphasised how sieges and shifting frontlines have emptied cities such as al-Fashir and how drone strikes are targeting markets, hospitals and power stations, noting U.N. human rights figures that put drone-related civilian deaths at least 880 since January. Al Jazeera included first-hand descriptions from Grace Oongee of the Norwegian Refugee Council about families being "forced to eat leaves" and breaking into slaughterhouses to survive, and it pointed out that the IPC's count (19.5 million) is slightly lower than last fall's 21.2 million but that access restrictions may understate the true scale. The Independent and AP both flagged the IPC's projection that about 825,000 children will suffer severe acute malnutrition in 2026 and that more than 98,500 children received treatment between January and March. Reuters and The New Arab warned that regional disruptions — higher food, fuel and fertiliser prices linked to the Iran crisis and shipping interruptions — are increasing planting costs and will make a successful harvest less likely. Taken together, the reports show agreement on scale, drivers (fighting, sieges, drones), and the coming lean season, while local eyewitness detail in Al Jazeera underscores the humanitarian desperation on the ground.

Go deeper

Which areas of Sudan are currently at highest risk of famine and why?
How will higher fuel and fertiliser prices affect the coming planting season?
What access steps are aid agencies requesting to prevent further child malnutrition?