Sudan: UNSC to discuss protection of civilians & humanitarian consequences of ongoing conflict in N. Kordofan, Blue Nile. 200K displaced across Kordofan

From Security Council Report

What's In Blue 
Posted Friday 21 August 2026 - excerpts:

Sudan: Briefing

On Monday morning (24 August), the Security Council will hold an open briefing on Sudan. Denmark, the Council president in August, requested the meeting to discuss the protection of civilians and the humanitarian consequences of the ongoing conflict. Denmark’s Foreign Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, is expected to chair the meeting. [...]

DiCarlo is likely to provide an overview of the deteriorating security situation, which has been particularly volatile in North Kordofan state. El Obeid, the state capital, has faced mounting pressure amid a significant build-up of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied fighters around the city. Repeated drone strikes have targeted critical civilian infrastructure in and around El Obeid, including power and fuel facilities, forcing medical facilities and water stations to shut down. As the hostilities have continued, displacement sites in the city have expanded with people fleeing violence in surrounding areas. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 200,000 people have been displaced across the wider Kordofan region since late 2025. (For more information, see our 4 August What’s in Blue story.)

In Blue Nile state, the security and humanitarian situation deteriorated following the expansion of fighting around the town of Kurmuk and other areas along the Ethiopian border. After the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) retook control of Kurmuk from the RSF in July, media reports indicated that the SAF had discovered a mass grave containing the remains of 25 people, including women, children, and hospital staff. Earlier this month, hostilities broke out again in both Kurmuk and the town of Geisan, killing civilians and driving displacement. Media reports indicated that the RSF, together with the allied Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, had retaken the towns. The fighting has raised concerns about the further regionalisation of the conflict, particularly amid allegations of external support to the RSF. These include claims that Ethiopian territory has been used as a supply conduit for RSF operations and that the latest RSF offensive in Blue Nile was launched from inside Ethiopia.

On Monday, the briefers and some Council members may highlight how the increasing use of drones and other advanced weaponry is intensifying civilian suffering and expanding the geographic reach of the conflict. Attacks are increasingly affecting populated areas and critical infrastructure. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), armed drones accounted for 80 percent of civilian deaths in the first half of this year, hitting markets, health facilities, and other civilian sites.

DiCarlo might describe the efforts by regional and international interlocutors to identify avenues for de-escalation and bring an end to the conflict. In late July and early August, the Quintet—comprising the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the League of Arab States (LAS), and the UN—held consultations in Addis Ababa with Sudanese political blocs and parties, including representatives of the Coordination of National Forces, Democratic Bloc, National Movement Forces, and Umma Party. The latest discussions built on the Quintet’s initial engagement with a group of Sudanese civilian actors on the sidelines of the third international Sudan conference, held in Berlin on 15 April, and further consultations in early June.

On 10 August, media reports indicated that SAF leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan had held consultations with political and civil society actors aimed at preparing for a comprehensive intra-Sudanese dialogue conference. The discussions reportedly resulted in agreement on several confidence-building measures, including the suspension of charges carrying the death penalty against some political figures—mainly those associated with former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok—and on the establishment of a preparatory committee for the conference.

On 16 and 17 August, a delegation of the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) undertook a field visit to Sudan, during which it met with senior Sudanese officials, including Burhan and Transitional Prime Minister Kamil El-Tayeb Idris. Discussions covered the country’s political, security, socioeconomic, and humanitarian situation, as well as governance challenges and efforts towards an inclusive national dialogue. The AU has sought to reopen its liaison office in Sudan to facilitate engagement with stakeholders at different levels and provide technical support to the country. (Sudan’s membership in the AU was suspended in the wake of the country’s 2021 military coup d’état.) [...]

View original: 

https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2026/08/sudan-briefing-8.php

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Further reading

Madamasr.com - August 21, 2026

Sudan Nashra: Burhan offers temporary immunity for internal dialogue participants | AU Peace, Security Council in Khartoum | Khartoum, Riyadh establish bilateral coordination council | Second-largest single group RSF defection arrive in Northern State

Photo: TSC Chair Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and a delegation from the African Union’s Peace and Security Council meet in Khartoum, August 16. Courtesy: The TSC

https://www.madamasr.com/en/2026/08/21/news/politics/sudan-nashra-burhan-offers-temporary-immunity-for-internal-dialogue-participants-au-peace-security-council-in-khartoum-khartoum-riyadh-establish-bilateral-coordination-council-second-largest/

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Madamasr.com - August 14, 2026

Sudan Nashra: In cross-border offensive, RSF seizes Blue Nile’s Geisan, recaptures Kurmuk | Military repels major RSF attack on North Kordofan’s Gabra al-Sheikh | After clashes inside Kauda, SPLM-N-Otoro fighting spreads to nearby villages | Kordofan governor in RSF-led govt defects | Back-to-back Sudanese visits to Juba in mutual push to contain border, Abyei tensions

Photo: RSF fighters and their allies, the SPLM-N (Hilu) forces led by Joseph Toka, attack the town of Geisan in Blue Nile state, August 11. Courtesy: Sudan War Monitor

https://www.madamasr.com/en/2026/08/14/news/politics/sudan-nashra-in-cross-border-offensive-rsf-seizes-blue-niles-geisan-recaptures-kurmuk-military-repels-major-rsf-attack-on-north-kordofans-gabra-al-sheikh-after-clashes-inside/

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Sudan Displacement & Return: 8,622,801 IDPs. 4,928,923 returned across 76 locations in 9 states

Report from Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) DTM Sudan

Dated 18 August 2026 I VIEW IN BROWSER - full copy:

Sudan Displacement and Return Snapshot (8)

The Sudan Displacement and Return Snapshot includes information on internally displaced persons and returnees, based on data from nearly 13,000 locations, 185 localities, and all 18 states in Sudan.

Locations of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Returnees in Sudan 

This map is for illustration purposes only. Names and boundaries do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the IOM.

Main Findings:

• An estimated 8,622,801 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were recorded across 185 localities in all 18 states.

• An estimated 4,928,923 returned individuals were recorded across 76 localities in nine states.

• Eighty-two per cent of returnees moved back from internal displacement, while 18 per cent returned from abroad.

• Approximately half of IDPs (55%) and returnees (50%) were children under 18 years old.

Recorded IDPs and Returnees in Sudan, April 2023 – July 2026

Key Trends:

• The number of IDPs decreased by 26 per cent compared to the highest-recorded displaced population, and by approximately one per cent compared to the previous month.

• The number of returnees increased by five per cent compared to the previous month.

For further information, see DTM Methodological Note and the DTM Sudan Interactive Dashboard.

DTM | Sudan Displacement and Return Snapshot (8)

Download Here

For further information on displacement and return across Sudan, see the DTM interactive Story Map that presents three years of displacement and mobility data, allowing users to explore monthly trends in displacement and returns across different states and time periods. The Story Map is available here or via the QR code below. Data on displacement is also available via the DTM Sudan Interactive Dashboard.

View original: https://mailchi.mp/iom/sudan-displacement-and-return-snapshot-8

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Sudan's national film archive and forgotten films

NOTE from Sudan Watch editor: This important 25-minute documentary-film by Suhaib Gasmelbari is heartbreaking. After working for 40 years in Sudan's film production department, Benjamin Chowkwan Ado and Awad Eldaw were appointed to look after the archive. The film gives a rare glimpse into their journey and the Sudanese government's neglect of Sudanese history. The video was posted in 2017. Any updates would be appreciated. 

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Video from Al Jazeera English

A film by Suhaib Gasmelbari
Published 22 October 2017 - copy of full description:

"Sudan's Forgotten Films - Witness

Benjamin and Awad run Sudan's national film archive. The two men, who've worked together for more than 40 years, are devoted to protecting their country's visual memories. 

Home to some 13,000 films, the archive preserves pivotal moments of Sudan's turbulent history, and is one of the largest in Africa. 

But the archive is in a fragile state. Following years of neglect and poor storage, many film reels are turning to dust in Sudan's unforgiving tropical climate. 

The two friends are determined to turn it around and embark on a mission to save the old films. Will they succeed in preserving Sudan's visual history for future generations before it's too late?"

Source: YouTube https://youtu.be/NUPlYMjC4FY

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Security situation in Sudan's Darfur, Kordofan, Blue Nile state, repeated drone strikes targeted in El Obeid

From Security Council Report

What's In Blue 
Posted Tuesday 04 August 2026 - full copy:

Sudan: Closed Consultations

Tomorrow afternoon (5 August), Security Council members will convene for closed consultations on Sudan. Denmark and the UK (the penholder on the file) requested the meeting to receive an update on the humanitarian situation in the country, specifically in light of the ongoing violence in the Darfur and the Kordofan regions as well as in Blue Nile state. In requesting the meeting, these members highlighted the impact of the hostilities on civilians, including continued restrictions on humanitarian operations and attacks on civilian infrastructure that have disrupted essential services, impeded the delivery of medical care and humanitarian assistance, and further exacerbated humanitarian conditions. The anticipated briefer is Lisa Doughten, the Director of the Financing and Outreach Division at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The security situation in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, remains alarming. The city is a strategic gateway linking the capital, Khartoum, with the Greater Darfur region and serves as a critical logistical hub for humanitarian operations across Kordofan. Recent reports indicate a significant build-up of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied fighters around the city, accompanied by intensified drone strikes and shelling. OCHA has reported that repeated drone strikes have targeted critical civilian infrastructure in and around El Obeid, including power, fuel, and water facilities, as well as displacement sites. These developments have prompted growing concern among regional and international actors, who have warned of the risk of widespread violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL) and stressed the need for urgent action to avert a humanitarian catastrophe. (For more information, see our 25 June What’s in Blue story.)

Meanwhile, in late July, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) launched a major ground offensive in North Kordofan and announced that it had recaptured the Al Sadarat highway and five key towns along the route, including Bara, Um Sayala, and Gebrat al-Sheikh, following two days of intense clashes with the RSF. The highway, which runs north of El Obeid and southwest towards Khartoum, had been a critical corridor for the RSF and, according to analysts, enabled the group to sustain pressure on El Obeid and constrain SAF operations across North Kordofan. The SAF’s recapture of the corridor restores an important supply and movement route, significantly improving its ability to reinforce positions around El Obeid. At tomorrow’s meeting, some Council members may seek Doughten’s assessment of what these developments could mean for humanitarian access.

At the same time, fighting has intensified on other fronts in North and West Darfur states. According to media reports, the RSF has increased drone strikes targeting the town of Tina in North Darfur, which borders Chad, as part of a broader offensive to capture the SAF’s remaining positions in Darfur, including Tina, Um Baru, and Karnoi. On 21 July, at least 21 civilians were reportedly killed and dozens injured when an RSF drone strike hit a vital water source in Tina. In a 23 July update, the international non-profit organisation Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) recorded 63 conflict-related fatalities across the Tina, Karnoi, and Um Baru localities since June, highlighting the intensification of fighting along Sudan’s border with Chad.

In a 3 August press release, OCHA noted that a 2 August drone strike in the village of Ghara al Zawiya in North Darfur state reportedly caused dozens of casualties, although the number of civilian casualties could not be independently verified. Media reports citing the Emergency Lawyers Group, a Sudanese human rights monitoring group, attributed the strike to the SAF, saying that it hit a traditional court session—during which people had gathered outdoors to attend hearings on local cases and disputes—and killed at least 35 people.

In Blue Nile state, the security and humanitarian situation deteriorated following the expansion of fighting around the town of Kurmuk and other areas along the Ethiopian border, reportedly displacing approximately 100,000 people across the state, many of whom have sought refuge in the capital, Ed Damazin. In early July, following intense clashes, the SAF retook control of Kurmuk from the RSF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) faction led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu. The RSF and the SPLM-N al-Hilu faction had captured Kurmuk in March, using the strategically located town as a base for operations in southern Blue Nile. The fighting has raised concerns over further regionalisation of the conflict, particularly amid allegations of external support to the RSF, including reports of a training and drone infrastructure facility linked to the group in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz region and claims that Ethiopian territory has been used as a supply conduit for RSF operations.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Ed Damazin and other parts of Blue Nile state has continued to deteriorate, with heavy rainfall and flooding compounding the challenges faced by displaced populations. Thousands of people living in displacement sites and temporary shelters have been affected, with several shelters reportedly damaged or destroyed by flooding. Humanitarian actors have also raised concerns over the outbreak of disease amid pressure on already limited health, water, and sanitation services.

More broadly, the health crisis has continued to worsen across Sudan, with multiple disease outbreaks emerging amid the collapse of healthcare services, particularly in conflict-affected areas. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced a new wave of cholera, voicing particular concern about vulnerable populations, including in besieged areas such as El Obeid. In a 27 July press release, OCHA reported more than 2,000 suspected cholera cases and 170 related deaths since May, with the majority of cases recorded in the Kordofan region. OCHA has also noted that the WHO and Sudanese health authorities are responding to a growing dengue fever outbreak, with more than 1,000 cases and five related deaths reported in Blue Nile state in July, alongside more than 130 cases in South Kordofan state.

At tomorrow’s meeting, Doughten is likely to note that developments in Blue Nile, Darfur, and Kordofan underscore the devastating impact of attacks on civilian infrastructure—including healthcare facilities, water systems, and electricity networks—which have disrupted essential services and hindered the delivery of humanitarian assistance. She may also highlight how the increasing use of drones and other advanced weaponry in the conflict is intensifying civilian suffering, with attacks increasingly affecting populated areas and critical infrastructure.

Doughten and several Council members are likely to reiterate calls for the cessation of hostilities and express support for efforts to achieve a humanitarian truce. They may raise broader protection concerns and emphasise the imperative of ensuring accountability for such acts. Some members may also underline the need for a Council response amid the spiralling security and humanitarian situation. They might emphasise the disproportionate impact of the conflict on women and girls, drawing attention to reported incidents of sexual and gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence.

Doughten may also provide an update on efforts by the UN and its partners to respond to the unfolding crisis and highlight the persistent impediments to humanitarian access in regions where needs are rapidly escalating. She may call for enhanced and flexible funding for the humanitarian response in Sudan and stress the urgent need for full, rapid, and sustained humanitarian access. At the time of writing, Sudan’s 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), requiring $2.87 billion, was only 40.4 percent funded.

View original: https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2026/08/sudan-closed-consultations-12.php

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