Food aid, community kitchens suspended in southern Khartoum

December 4, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – Community kitchens and aid from the World Food Programme (WFP) have suspended operations in the South Belt area of Khartoum, activists said on Thursday, cutting off a vital lifeline for residents in the war-torn capital.

Millions of Sudanese have relied on volunteer-run soup kitchens, known locally as Takayas, since conflict erupted in April 2023. Volunteers have continued to serve food in active combat zones despite facing risks of arrest and death.

The South Belt Emergency Room said all kitchens in the Al-Azhari sector had ceased operations, along with a halt to WFP assistance.

“We regretfully announce the suspension of all assistance serving the citizens of the South Belt,” the group said in a statement, warning that the move would deepen suffering as jobs vanish and incomes erode.

The suspension comes amid dire warnings about hunger in the capital. A field assessment published Wednesday by Norwegian Church Aid and the International Medical Corps found that 97% of households in Khartoum suffer from food insecurity, forcing families to skip meals, beg, or send children to work.

More than one million people have returned to Khartoum recently as security improved after the army regained control of the state. However, economic conditions remain critical.

The Sudanese government said on Nov. 8 that the poverty rate had surged to 71% from 21% prior to the war, leaving 23 million people below the poverty line.

Additionally, the U.N. International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported in October that 86% of households are struggling to purchase basic needs due to inflation, a liquidity crunch, and market disruptions.