More than 11,000 people remain missing in Sudan, according to new figures from the International Committee of the Red Cross, underscoring the growing humanitarian toll of a war that has displaced millions and separated families across the country.
The ICRC had more than 11,000 active missing-person cases registered by the beginning of 2026, including more than 9,000 linked to the period since fighting erupted in April 2023.
Farid Al-Hamid, a spokesperson for the ICRC in Sudan, said tracing missing and detained people remains one of the organisation’s main priorities in the country, with efforts continuing in cooperation with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society.
He said the ICRC maintains confidential bilateral dialogue with the parties to the conflict, reminding them of their obligations under international humanitarian law toward missing people, detainees and civilians affected by the fighting.
The organisation’s work goes beyond registering disappearance cases. Its teams also search for people who have lost contact with their relatives, help families restore communication and support the safe and dignified handling of human remains.
During the first half of 2026, the ICRC helped about 38,512 families restore or maintain contact through free telephone services provided to people affected by the war.
Over the same period, the organisation said it was able to clarify the fate or whereabouts of 613 people previously registered as missing.
Sudan’s missing-person crisis has worsened sharply since war broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023.
Reports of enforced disappearances, detention and people going missing in areas affected by military operations have made it increasingly difficult for families and humanitarian organisations to determine the fate of thousands of people.
The ICRC has operated in Sudan for decades, but its humanitarian activities have expanded considerably since the outbreak of the conflict, with a greater focus on tracing missing people, reconnecting families and assisting detainees.
The scale of displacement has further complicated those efforts. More than 12 million people are estimated to have been displaced inside Sudan or forced to flee abroad, leaving families scattered across the country and neighbouring states.
The resulting population movements, insecurity and breakdown of communications have made documenting missing-person cases and locating individuals increasingly difficult, adding another layer to Sudan’s deepening humanitarian crisis.
