Nearly 50,000 civilians have been forced from their homes in Sudan’s Blue Nile state since the start of 2026, according to the International Organization for Migration, as fighting continues across the region.
The displacement took place between 11 January and 4 May, the agency said, estimating a total of 49,512 people—about 9,899 families—have been uprooted from communities in the volatile southeast.
Kurmuk, Bau, and Geissan recorded the largest waves of displacement, with residents fleeing repeated outbreaks of insecurity and escalating violence.
In the state capital, Damazin, more than 25,600 displaced people have arrived in search of safety, placing additional strain on already fragile humanitarian services.
The IOM reports that around 78 percent of those displaced are now living in informal settlements, while others are sheltering in schools or staying with host families.
Blue Nile remains a hotspot of ongoing clashes involving the General Abdel Fattah al Burhan’s army, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and SPLM-N, as control over contested areas continues to shift.
The fighting has fuelled one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with tens of thousands killed and around 13 million people displaced across Sudan.
