Child Malnutrition Doubles Across Darfur Amid Worsening Conflict

UNICEF has reported a dramatic surge in child malnutrition across Sudan, particularly in the five Darfur states, amid ongoing conflict. Between January and May 2025, the number of children treated for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in North Darfur doubled compared to the same period in 2024, with over 40,000 admissions, while overall SAM cases in Darfur rose 46 percent. Surveys indicate that nine out of thirteen localities in Darfur have acute malnutrition rates exceeding World Health Organization emergency thresholds, with some areas nearing famine conditions. The conflict, especially around besieged El Fasher, has destroyed healthcare infrastructure and blocked humanitarian aid, exacerbating the crisis. Significant increases in malnutrition have also been reported in other states, including North Kordofan, Khartoum, and Al Jazirah, reflecting both worsening conditions and improved access to treatment in some regions. UNICEF's Sudan representative Sheldon Yett emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian action, warning that children are being starved by conflict and cut off from life-saving aid.