Humanitarian agencies have intensified relief efforts in Sudan’s North Darfur, where thousands of families displaced by recent fighting face deteriorating conditions following the October 26 takeover of El Fasher, the state capital.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) described the situation as “dire”, noting that most of those fleeing El Fasher have moved west toward Tawila and its surrounding areas, only to encounter acute shortages of food, clean water, shelter, and medical care.

In the Al Omda displacement camp near Tawila, more than 3,000 newly arrived individuals are in urgent need of shelter materials and basic household supplies, including mats, blankets, and plastic sheeting, as night temperatures continue to drop. Many, including the elderly, people with disabilities, and unaccompanied children, are sleeping outdoors without protection or sanitation facilities.

Similar conditions have been reported in Daba Al Naira and Um Jangour camps, where over 6,500 people remain without adequate shelter or essential supplies.

OCHA further reported that hundreds of families who fled on foot from El Fasher have reached Al Dabba, a locality in Sudan’s Northern State. Approximately 2,800 people are now sheltering in overcrowded sites with limited access to food, clean water, and medical support. Many survivors described losing family members during their journey across the desert toward the Nile River.

With more displaced families expected to arrive in the coming days, humanitarian agencies are mobilizing additional emergency aid, including food, medical care, psychosocial services, shelter, and warm clothing, but resources are running low. OCHA said Sudan’s 2025 humanitarian response plan is currently only 28 percent funded, significantly undermining relief operations in Darfur and Kordofan.

“The needs are escalating faster than our ability to respond,” OCHA said, urging international donors to accelerate funding to prevent further loss of life.