North Darfur activists say RSF displacement of Um Baru residents triggers humanitarian crisis
January 2, 2026 (UM BARU) – Humanitarian conditions for the residents of Um Baru locality in North Darfur state have sharply deteriorated after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) forced civilians to flee to valleys and open areas following the seizure of the town, activists said on Friday.
On December 24, the RSF and its allies in the Sudan Founding Coalition (Tasees) launched a large-scale military operation in the northwestern regions of North Darfur, enabling them to take control of the towns of Abu Gamra, Um Baru, and Karnoi. The offensive was accompanied by widespread violations committed by RSF members, including looting, arrests, and ethnic-based killings affecting thousands of civilians, while others fled to neighbouring Chad.
Subsequently, heavy strikes by Sudanese army drones forced the RSF to retreat from the last areas controlled by the central government in the Darfur region. The North Darfur Emergency Rooms Council issued a severe warning regarding the worsening humanitarian disaster in Um Baru since late December. The council stated the area is experiencing tragic conditions that have led to the forced displacement of more than 6,500 families toward valleys and neighbouring villages.
In a statement, the council added that the displaced people are sleeping in the open and facing the harsh winter without basic necessities, such as shelter or food. This coincides with the complete collapse of service facilities and the looting of public and private property, including the locality’s only ambulance.
The council announced that Um Baru Rural Hospital is entirely out of service, which has exacerbated the suffering of patients and people with special needs. It called for immediate international and humanitarian intervention to provide food and medicine and to facilitate urgent medical evacuations for critical cases and the elderly before an imminent catastrophe.
On December 28, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) revealed in a statement that approximately 7,075 people fled from Um Baru and the villages of Dronk, Salam Alaik, and Gali Bora in Karnoi due to escalating security tensions. The IOM noted that these individuals were displaced to locations within the Um Baru and Karnoi localities, while the situation remains tense and unstable.