Displaced and official at Al-Karama 3 camp in the city of El-Damazin in Sudan's Blue Nile state say the humanitarian conditions are deteriorating in the camp, as war rages in the country. "The camp hasn't received any food aid for four months now," says the camp's manager.
Humanitarian situation worsening in Sudan's camps for displaced people
Sudanese displaced families take shelter in a school in Omdurman, Sudan, located across the Nile River from Khartoum, on Sunday, March 23, 2025.
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The Al-Karama 3 camp in Sudan’s Blue Nile state currently houses some 24,000 displaced people.
They’re fleeing the fighting that’s been raging in the country since 2023, when tensions between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and Sudan’s military erupted into civil war.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed and at least 11 million displaced.
"This war broke out suddenly, and we were struck by drones," says Khadra al-Fayiq, a displaced woman at Al-Karama 3 camp.
"Ever since these drones appeared, we have had no rest; ever since then, we have been constantly on the move, fleeing from one place to another.”
Officials and residents at the camp say the humanitarian situation is getting worse as the country faces a perfect storm of conflict, drought and cuts to international aid.
"There is no food provided for us in the camp, we only eat corn, even though I shouldn't be eating it, but there is no alternative," says camp resident Adam Ahmed. "We need special care and proper nutrition.”
Hundreds of thousands of children across Sudan and suffering from malnutrition. The camp also lacks adequate toilet facilities - meaning people are forced to defecate in the open. The dire sanitary conditions are giving rise to disease - while healthcare is extremely limited.
Babiker Othman Ibrahim is a manager at Al-Karama 3 camp:
"Right now, the health situation in the camp is completely degraded, a range of diseases has emerged, including allergies, in addition to malaria and schistosomiasis. The camp's situation is currently extremely dire. Therefore, we appeal to official authorities and humanitarian organizations for urgent intervention.”
On Tuesday, more than 30 Western states issued an urgent appeal to the warring parties to remove obstacles to humanitarian aid - warning that at least five million people across Sudan are facing emergency levels of hunger. They also appealed for donors to scale up funding.