Sudan: Tawila Operational Response Plan (ORP), August - October 2025

Situation Overview

Since the escalation of hostilities in and around El Fasher in mid-April 2025, Tawila locality has become a key refuge for displaced people fleeing the intensifying conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to the latest report from the International Organization for Migration (DTM Update 9 July), approximately 327,000 individuals have been newly displaced to Tawila locality, primarily originating from Zamzam IDP camp, since April. This recent influx has brought the total number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Tawila to an estimated 560,000. This figure includes both the newly displaced and the previously uprooted ones residing in established camps such as Al-Omda and Argo. The displacement is driven by severe protection threats, indiscriminate shelling and siege-like conditions in Al Fasher, where residents face limited humanitarian access, skyrocketing prices and critical shortages of food, water and health services.

The sharp increase in displacement has placed significant pressure on local infrastructure, services, and humanitarian response capacity in Tawila. Women, children, unaccompanied and separated children (UASC), and people with disabilities are among the most vulnerable. Protection risks in Tawila remain acute, including gender-based violence (GBV), family separation, psychological distress, and lack of safe spaces. Overcrowding and inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities increase vulnerability. Immediate interventions are required, including GBV risk mitigation, child protection services, mental health and psychosocial support, and strengthened community-based protection mechanisms.

Despite efforts under the April 2025 Tawila Operational Response Plan, the humanitarian response remains insufficient relative to the scale and urgency of needs. While emergency food assistance and initial health and nutrition services have been scaled up, rising health concerns, particularly following the cholera outbreak in late June, pose a serious threat. Limited WASH services and overstretched health facilities are ill-equipped to manage disease outbreaks, especially with the rainy season worsening the risk of flooding and waterborne illnesses. To prevent further deterioration, there is an urgent need for expanded access, stronger coordination and increased funding to support multi-sectoral interventions for the displaced population in Tawila.