The United Nations expressed deep concern Monday over escalating violence in Sudan that is endangering civilians and triggering waves of displacement, particularly in the Kordofan region.
U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said humanitarian officials report a sharp increase in displacement in recent days. The International Organization for Migration estimates that insecurity drove nearly 500 people to flee villages in South Kordofan State on Friday alone.
More than 15,000 people have arrived in White Nile State from the Kordofan region since late October, according to local authorities. In eastern Sudan, about 400 people arrived in Gedaref town Monday from conflict-affected areas in West Kordofan.
In the Darfur region, the IOM estimates more than 107,000 people were displaced from the North Darfur capital of El Fasher and surrounding villages between late October and early December. Many had been displaced multiple times.
Dujarric said a drone strike Saturday hit a market in Al Malha, North Darfur, killing at least 10 people.
The World Health Organization warns that attacks on health care facilities in Sudan have reached alarming levels, with 65 such attacks in 2025 alone causing more than 1,600 deaths.
“We continue to urge all parties to immediately halt attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, uphold international humanitarian law and ensure safe, unhindered humanitarian access,” Dujarric said.
He briefed reporters ahead of a Security Council meeting on Sudan.
Lack of progress
In response to questions, Dujarric said Secretary-General António Guterres is “extremely frustrated” by the lack of progress and the level of human suffering in Sudan.
“This year has seen shelling of camps, of refugee and internally displaced camps where famine had been recorded, where people were starving and they’re being bombed,” he said. “We’ve seen gunmen go into hospitals, maternity wards, kill women, kill babies, kill doctors.”
Dujarric said the leaders of both sides in Sudan’s conflict, as well as regional powers, need to prioritize the interests of the Sudanese people.
When asked about a recent poll of aid organizations that found Sudan to be the world’s most neglected crisis, Dujarric suggested a lack of global media attention plays a role.
“There’s probably an element of racism, right?” he said. “That people don’t pay as much attention to crises in Africa as they do in other parts of the world.”
The spokesman said Guterres is considering a potential trip to Sudan in the new year, but any visit would depend on whether it would be helpful in advancing peace efforts.