IOM: Nearly 50,000 displaced by conflict in Blue Nile region

May 12, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Sudan’s Blue Nile region following an escalation in fighting, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday.

Since the beginning of the year, an alliance comprising the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the SPLM-N (al-Hulu) has launched attacks on the towns of Kurmuk, Geissan, and Bau. The violence has destroyed infrastructure and paralyzed commercial and agricultural activities in the southeastern region.

In its latest report, the IOM stated that 49,512 individuals fled their homes in Kurmuk, Bau, and Geissan after insecurity spiked on Jan. 11.

Of those displaced, 25,630 individuals fled to the regional capital, Ed Damazin. The remainder are scattered across various sites in Bau, Geissan, Ar Roseires, Kurmuk, Wad Al Mahi, and At Tadamon.

The report noted that 78% of the newly displaced are staying in informal settlements, 13% in schools and public buildings, and 9% with host families.

Conditions in informal gatherings are dire, with limited access to protection, clean water, and healthcare. The IOM warned that women and girls, who make up 53% of the displaced population, face heightened risks of gender-based violence and exploitation.

The Blue Nile region currently hosts a total of 361,000 displaced persons across 252 sites in seven localities, according to March statistics. Approximately 69% of these individuals are residing in rural areas.

The IOM also reported that the region has seen 187,000 returnees, including 137,000 who arrived from outside Sudan. However, a trend unique to Blue Nile is that 67% of these returnees have settled in collective shelters rather than their original homes, unlike returnees in other Sudanese states, who have largely managed to return to their private residences.