Sudan's Blue Nile Faces Escalating Hostilities, Displacing Over 23,000

Escalating hostilities in Sudan’s Blue Nile region have pushed more than 23,000 people from the towns of Geissan and Al Kurmuk into displacement since 11 August 2026. The violence has tightened movement restrictions and cut off humanitarian corridors, leaving essential services—food, water, health care—harder to reach. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Protection Cluster warns that ongoing conflict, potential further population shifts, unexploded ordnance, seasonal flooding, and strained local infrastructure could raise risks for displaced civilians, refugees, host communities, and especially women, children, the elderly and those with special needs. The alert urges all parties to protect civilians, safeguard infrastructure, and allow unhindered humanitarian access, while urging aid agencies to maintain critical services and preparedness plans.