Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces Drive Sudan Into World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis, IRC Ranks It No. 1

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.

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.

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.