Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced in Sudan’s Blue Nile State since the start of 2026 due to ongoing clashes involving the Sudanese Army, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied SPLM-N fighters, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, the IOM said about 49,512 people, representing 9,899 families, were displaced between Jan. 11 and May 4. The majority of the displaced came from Kurmuk, Bau and Geissan, with many relocating to seven areas across the state, including the capital, Damazin. The agency said most of the displaced are living in informal sites, while others are sheltering in schools, public buildings and with host families.
Blue Nile has experienced persistent violence involving government forces, the RSF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), which has sought autonomy for South Kordofan and Blue Nile since 2011.
Sudan has remained engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the army and the RSF over plans to integrate the paramilitary group into the military. The war has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly 13 million people, deepening what humanitarian agencies describe as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
