• Famine thresholds for acute malnutrition have been surpassed in Um Baru and Kernoi, Darfur.
• 53% of children under five in Um Baru are acutely malnourished, nearly double the famine threshold.
• 20 additional areas in Darfur and Kordofan are at risk of famine, according to global experts.

Famine conditions are deteriorating in Sudan’s Darfur region, particularly in the towns of Um Baru and Kernoi, where acute malnutrition rates among children have reached alarming levels. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reports that in Um Baru, **53%** of children under five are suffering from acute malnutrition, a percentage nearly double the famine threshold, while **32%** are affected in Kernoi. This situation has escalated since the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized the state capital, el-Fasher, causing massive displacement and increased food insecurity in surrounding areas, according to Al Jazeera and Africanews.

The ongoing conflict in Sudan, which began with a power struggle between the military and RSF in April 2023, has resulted in what the United Nations identifies as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The deteriorating security situation has not only led to the fall of el-Fasher but has also driven tens of thousands to other vulnerable regions in North Darfur, exacerbating the already critical food shortage. Reports indicate that **21 million people**, or almost half of Sudan's population, face acute food insecurity, with many in urgent need of assistance, according to Los Angeles Times and Africanews.

The IPC has classified the situation in both Um Baru and Kernoi as dangerously approaching famine; however, a formal declaration of famine cannot be made yet due to insufficient access and data to confirm additional thresholds like mortality rates. Historically, the IPC only confirms famine under stringent conditions, making their report a grave warning about the potential for widespread starvation emerging in these areas, say experts from Al Jazeera, Los Angeles Times, and Africanews.

Further complicating the situation, recent violence has taken place as fighting escalates in Kordofan, with military attacks reported leading to significant casualties. The shocking toll from a recent assault in South Kordofan, including the deaths of medical personnel, highlights the instability and humanitarian risks throughout the country and significantly hampers relief efforts, according to Los Angeles Times and Africanews.