UN warns of worsening humanitarian crisis and drone strikes in Sudan

February 24, 2026 (UNITED NATIONS) – The United Nations on Tuesday warned of a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Sudan’s North Darfur and North Kordofan states, highlighting a massive surge in displacement and ongoing drone attacks.

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the U.N. Secretary-General, said the situation on the ground is not improving. He expressed particular concern over the escalating violence in the Tine area of North Darfur, near the Sudan-Chad border, which is forcing civilians to flee into eastern Chad and hindering humanitarian access.

Dujarric confirmed that humanitarian movements via the Adré crossing are continuing. U.N. officials remain in contact with the governments of both Chad and Sudan to ensure the safe passage of supplies through the crossing, which he described as indispensable for operations in Darfur.

The locality of Tawila in North Darfur has emerged as one of the region’s largest and fastest-growing displacement hubs. The area, which originally had an estimated 40,000 residents, now hosts more than 715,000 displaced people. Most fled attacks on El Fasher and nearby camps last year. More than half a million of these individuals are living in four major sites just outside the town.

A recent assessment by the U.N. children’s agency, UNICEF, revealed dire conditions in North Darfur. More than half of the population is not receiving the minimum daily water requirement for survival, set at 7.5 litres per person.

Additionally, 40% of latrines are non-functional, and 80% of families lack soap. The assessment also found that only 8% of menstruating women and girls have access to sufficient hygiene items.

In North Kordofan, Dujarric reported a series of drone strikes in El Obeid that began on Feb. 20. A strike on Monday hit the campus of the University of Kordofan, causing significant structural damage. While drone attacks have reportedly continued for three consecutive days, the U.N. said details regarding civilian casualties are not yet available.

Humanitarian partners are calling for rapid and flexible funding to scale up water and sanitation services in Tawila to prevent a public health collapse. This year’s Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan requires $2.9 billion to reach more than 20 million people across the country.