Port Sudan (ICRC) - Attacks on civilians and essential infrastructure in Sudan's Kordofan states - including hospitals, markets and residential areas - have caused a high number of casualties, mass displacement and the collapse of essential services. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reminds the parties involved of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian objects.
"Fighting in the Kordofan states has intensified since the beginning of 2025, resulting in hundreds of deaths and exacerbating the country's humanitarian crisis. In some areas, 90% of civilians have fled," explained Daniel O'Malley, ICRC Head of Delegation in Sudan. "In addition to the fighting, the presence of explosive remnants of war in Sudan poses a serious risk to civilians, particularly those fleeing areas affected by hostilities or attempting to return home."
The wounded and the sick are particularly at risk, as attacks on medical facilities have further crippled the already weakened health system. Medical staff have fled, facilities have been damaged or destroyed, and communities have been left without critical care.
Displacement has surged across North, South and West Kordofan, with many families being displaced multiple times due to shifting frontlines. Supply routes have been affected, leaving some areas isolated from basic services for months.
"Restrictions on the movement of goods have worsened shortages, forcing more people to flee in search of survival. Lack of food, medical care and safe escape routes is deepening the humanitarian crisis in the Kordofan states and other conflict-affected areas in Sudan," O'Malley said.
The ongoing cholera outbreak, coupled with the approaching rainy season, pose an additional threat. There are already more than 7,800 recorded cholera cases, and the capacity to treat them is particularly limited.
The ICRC reminds all parties to the conflict that they must comply with international humanitarian law, which prohibits attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and markets. Protecting civilians and ensuring their access to food, services and humanitarian aid is both a moral duty and a legal obligation.
