One in Two Children Malnourished in North Darfur, UNICEF Warns. El Fasher, Sudan — December 30, 2025 Lead Paragraph The United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF) has reported that nearly half of children in North Darfur, Sudan, are suffering from malnutrition, amid ongoing conflict and displacement in the region.
The agency has called for immediate access to children and families affected by the crisis.
Body. UNICEF’s findings, released on Monday, reveal that 53 percent of 500 children screened in the Um Baru locality in North Darfur were acutely malnourished, with one in six suffering from severe acute malnutrition, a condition that can be fatal if left untreated.
The agency’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that every day without access to these children increases the risk of preventable deaths.
The current crisis in North Darfur is part of a larger conflict that erupted in 2023, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, over 12 million displaced individuals, and triggering famine in several parts of Sudan.
The UN has described the situation as the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis. ” The conflict has intensified following the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)’s seizure of the city of el-Fasher in late October.
The RSF, which has been accused of committing mass atrocities, has been pushing eastward, further exacerbating the hunger crisis. UN officials have expressed concern about the situation in RSF-controlled areas, including the cities of Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan, where sieges have been maintained.
The UN humanitarian team was allowed access to el — Fasher for the first time in two years last Friday, finding the city largely deserted.
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The situation in North Darfur remains critical, with UNICEF calling for immediate action to address the malnutrition crisis. Further details are expected as the situation develops.
