Fire at Sudan displacement camp forces 41 families to flee in Kordofan

A fire swept through Al-Qardud displacement camp in Abu Jubaiha, South Kordofan state, on Wednesday, forcing 41 families to flee and destroying or damaging dozens of shelters, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported Thursday. The affected families were relocated to open areas within the same locality as authorities continue monitoring the situation without providing details on the blaze's cause.

Destruction and Displacement

The IOM stated that approximately 23 shelters were completely destroyed and another 18 partially damaged in the fire, which struck a population already enduring severe hardship from Sudan's ongoing civil conflict. The incident compounds the suffering of displaced communities in the Kordofan region, where fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has intensified since late October 2025 across North, West, and South Kordofan states.

Regional Conflict Context

The fire at Al-Qardud camp reflects the broader humanitarian catastrophe engulfing Sudan's Kordofan region. On January 27, the IOM announced that displacement from the three Kordofan states had reached 88,316 individuals over just two months due to escalating military clashes. The camp residents, already uprooted by violence, now face additional trauma from the fire, which destroyed their makeshift shelters and limited possessions.

National Humanitarian Crisis

Sudan has been consumed by conflict between the army and RSF since April 2023, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. The fighting has killed tens of thousands, displaced approximately 13 million people, and devastated infrastructure across the country. The Kordofan region's strategic importance has made it a focal point of the conflict, with civilians bearing the heaviest burden as they face not only military violence but also secondary disasters like the Al-Qardud fire that further compound their vulnerability and suffering.