Sudan: Kordofan States Humanitarian Access Snapshot (May 2025)

HIGHLIGHTS

Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has escalated sharply in the Kordofan region, triggering widespread displacement and cutting off humanitarian access. Intense shelling in recent weeks has deepened an already dire crisis, leaving thousands of civilians trapped without food, water or medical care.

The three Kordofan states — North, South and West — sit at the heart of Sudan and serve as critical corridors for moving aid into Darfur. At the same time, needs within Kordofan are growing rapidly. Some locations are at risk of famine, highlighting the urgency of sustained and safe aid access. However, insecurity, shifting frontlines and vast distances from key logistics hubs such as Port Sudan and the Adre border crossing continue to severely restrict operations.

Heavy fighting has blocked key humanitarian routes, especially roads linking Al Obeid to An Nuhud, Al Khawai, Dilling and Kadugli. Shelling near Kadugli has caused civilian casualties and further hampered humanitarian movement. In South Kordofan, escalating violence east of the Nuba Mountains and a recent directive from the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) suspending 30 national and three international NGOs have compounded operational constraints.

Key roads, including those from Kadugli to Um Adara, Al Nahlili and Al Fula, remain inaccessible due to insecurity. This disruption is affecting supply chains and deepening community vulnerabilities.

While cross-border access from Chad is somewhat more feasible for parts of West Kordofan, insecurity still delays or halts deliveries. As of 31 May, nine trucks with critical supplies were stranded in Al Obeid due to conflict and looting concerns. A separate convoy of seven trucks carrying therapeutic food, malaria and tuberculosis medicines, and chlorine tablets was also stuck, awaiting clearance to reach Kadugli.

Since January 2025, 95 trucks have delivered more than 3,000 metric tons of aid for nearly 300,000 people in North and West Kordofan. But these gains remain precarious. With the rainy season expected to start in June and access to the Nuba Mountains likely to deteriorate, the window for reaching vulnerable communities is rapidly closing. Without urgent, safe and sustained humanitarian access, the lives of hundreds of thousands in the Kordofan region hang in the balance.