Sudan16 December, 20252 min read
Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces Drive Sudan Into World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis, IRC Ranks It No. 1
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Sudan ranked first on the IRC 2026 Global Emergency Watchlist for a third consecutive year Fighting between rival military forces killed tens of thousands and displaced millions
7 outlets told this the same way.
Sudan humanitarian crisis
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has ranked Sudan as the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis for a third consecutive year, placing it atop a 20-country watchlist of the worst and fastest-worsening emergencies worldwide. The IRC points to the prolonged and intense fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023 amid a power struggle, and says the conflict has shattered state institutions and triggered the largest humanitarian crisis ever recorded. The report frames Sudan as the most acute example of a concentrated global emergency: the 20 watchlist countries contain just 12% of the world’s population yet account for 89% of people needing humanitarian aid.
“The International Rescue Committee (IRC) ranked Sudan as the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis for the third year running in its Emergency Watchlist released Tuesday.”
Sudan humanitarian crisis
On the ground, the IRC and reporting outlets describe catastrophic human impacts. More than 12 million people have fled their homes, aid deliveries are collapsing, and millions face acute shortages of food, medicine and shelter. Al Jazeera provides broader scale, noting the IRC estimate that the conflict may have killed around 150,000 people and displaced more than 12 million.
Roughly 33 million Sudanese now need aid and 207,000 face catastrophic food shortages. Other outlets echo the displacement and violence, reporting tens of thousands killed, rampant looting, family separation and reports of sexual violence that compound civilians' needs and strain the humanitarian response.
Humanitarian funding crisis
The IRC report underscores an alarming funding gap: humanitarian aid has fallen by roughly 50% even as needs deepen, leaving responders unable to meet growing demand. The watchlist finding - that 20 countries contain 12% of the world's population but account for 89% of people who need humanitarian aid - is used to argue that donor fatigue and shifting geopolitics are producing far-reaching consequences. IRC CEO David Miliband warned the situation 'reflects a broader breakdown in global response,' saying the world's actions and inaction are prolonging the crisis, and outlets point to geopolitical obstacles that complicate ceasefires and relief efforts.
“Global humanitarian aid has fallen by more than 50% even as crises deepen.”
Abuse and assault allegations
Human-rights abuses and sexual violence are central claims in coverage. Morocco World News reports that human-rights groups accuse the RSF of using mass rape and killings as weapons of war. That outlet cites the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) documenting at least 1,294 cases of sexual violence, many involving children.
Other outlets report rape, looting, family losses, and sexual assault, highlighting the breadth of the allegations. Coverage varies in how explicitly outlets name alleged perpetrators or cite documented figures.
Humanitarian priorities and risks
The IRC report places Sudan in a broader humanitarian and policy context and recommends priorities: reinvigorating democratic processes, protecting civilians, fighting impunity, and directing aid to the most vulnerable. The watchlist also identifies other high-risk states — including Palestine, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Haiti, and Myanmar — and warns that these 20 countries could contain more than half of the world’s extreme poor by 2029 unless donors reverse declining funding. Some outlets note small operational gains, such as resumed immunizations in previously inaccessible areas, but emphasize that these improvements are inadequate without sustained donor support and political solutions.
“The IRC highlights some positive advances, such as delivery of life‑saving immunizations in previously inaccessible areas, and lays out priorities: reinvigorate democracy, protect civilians, fight impunity, and target aid to the most vulnerable.”