Sudan: WHH warns of further escalation and calls for urgent scale-up of humanitarian assistance
Humanitarian catastrophe in North Darfur: Tens of thousands flee El Fasher.
Bonn/Berlin, 29 October 2025: The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is worsening dramatically. As fighting continues, the suffering of people in and around El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, has become unbearable. An estimated 26,000 people have fled the clashes in recent days, many seeking shelter in nearby villages or trapped without assistance. Sudan is currently facing the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, with more than nine million people in North Darfur alone in urgent need of help.
Mass Displacement and Breakdown of Basic Services
“Our teams are witnessing a sharp rise in internal displacement. Most families arriving in Tawila are completely exhausted, traumatized, and have lost everything. The humanitarian situation is catastrophic. More than 560,000 people are living in dire conditions – without food, water, shelter or medical care – and are in urgent need of assistance,” says Mathias Mogge, Secretary General of Welthungerhilfe (WHH). “The international community must urgently increase financial support for the people of Sudan!” Mogge urges.
In Tawila, local systems are completely overwhelmed by the influx of internally displaced people (IDPs). Water and food supplies have collapsed, sanitation facilities are inadequate, and medical care is grossly insufficient. Women and girls are particularly at risk, while diseases such as cholera are spreading rapidly. WHH currently has 13 staff members working in Tawila and a total of 45 colleagues operating across North Darfur. The organization is providing food, cash assistance, drinking water, hygiene kits, latrines and emergency shelters. In response to the growing needs, WHH is preparing to expand its operations in Tawila and other areas of intervention. Plans are also underway to resume assistance in El Fasher as soon as security conditions allow.
Call for the Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Workers
WHH strongly calls on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and to ensure the protection of civilians and aid workers. “Humanitarian assistance must never become a target. Civilians and humanitarian personnel must be protected at all times,” Mogge emphasizes.
Welthungerhilfe (WHH) has been active in Sudan since 1998 and remains one of the few international organizations operating in multiple parts of the country despite the challenging security environment. Its work focuses on food security, water and sanitation, emergency relief, and agriculture. In 2025, WHH reached over one million people through 19 projects across five states.
Additional information is available at https://www.welthungerhilfe.org/media/
Welthungerhilfe is one of the largest private aid organizations in Germany; it is politically independent and non-denominational. With courage and determination, it is striving for a world without hunger. Since it was founded on December 14, 1962, 12,777 overseas projects in about 72 countries and territories have been supported with 5.42 billion euros. Welthungerhilfe follows the principle of empowering people to help themselves to sustainably improve their living conditions, through approaches ranging from fast disaster relief to reconstruction and long-term development cooperation projects with national and international partner organizations.
