Sudan Famine Risk: Khartoum & War Updates
Famine threatens Khartoum, Sudan, as the civil war intensifies, with the UN’s world Food Program (WFP) reporting severe hunger and destitution. This deepening hunger crisis is hitting hard, especially in areas like Jabal Awliya, south of the capital. The WFP has been forced to reduce food rations due to funding shortfalls, impacting the millions of Sudanese facing dire food insecurity. Learn how fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is worsening the crisis, leading to widespread displacement and limited access to essential resources. News Directory 3 presents the latest updates on the humanitarian situation, including the challenges aid agencies face in delivering assistance and the urgent need for increased international support. Discover what’s next for the people of Sudan, and how you can help.
sudan Famine Threatens Khartoum Amid Civil War
Updated june 10, 2025
Famine looms near Khartoum as Sudan’s civil war continues, the United nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned Tuesday.”Severe” hunger, destitution and desperation grip Jabal Awliya, about 25 miles south of the capital, according to WFP’s Sudan representative Laurent Bukera.
Bukera, after visiting Khartoum state, described widespread destruction and urged immediate international action to avert a full-blown famine. He cited limited access to water, healthcare, and electricity, compounded by a cholera outbreak. Several areas south of Khartoum face a high famine risk, he said, calling on the international community to increase funding to halt famine and invest in Sudan’s recovery.
The WFP, assisting 4 million people nationwide, has cut food rations to 70% in famine-threatened areas due to meaningful funding shortages. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have battled for power since april 2023. While the army declared Khartoum “wholly free of rebels” in late May, the humanitarian crisis deepens.
The WFP is striving to alleviate famine conditions now that it can regularly deliver aid. Bukera emphasized the severity of the hunger, destitution, and desperation in Jabal Awliya, confirming the famine risk. The conflict has killed tens of thousands and triggered massive displacement, with over 4 million fleeing the country and 10.5 million internally displaced, per UN estimates.
Bukera expressed deep concern that the return of people to devastated areas like khartoum will strain already scarce resources. He stressed that meeting basic needs, especially food, is critical and urgent. Famine has already been declared in five Sudanese areas,including three displacement camps near el-Fasher in the southwest. Aid agencies suspect famine in el-Fasher itself, but data access is limited. Across Sudan, nearly 25 million people face severe food insecurity.
What’s next
The WFP plans to continue scaling up its operations to provide critical food assistance and support to the millions of Sudanese people facing starvation, while also advocating for increased funding and humanitarian access to reach those most in need.