Khartoum: Fighting in the Kordofan region in southern Sudan has led to hundreds of deaths, mass displacement, and the collapse of basic services, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Wednesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the fighting in the Kordofan states has intensified since the beginning of 2025, resulting in hundreds of deaths and worsening the country's humanitarian crisis. Daniel O'Malley, the ICRC Head of Delegation in Sudan, highlighted that in some areas, 90% of civilians have fled. The presence of explosive remnants of war poses a serious risk to civilians, especially those fleeing or attempting to return.

O'Malley also noted that restrictions on the movement of goods have worsened shortages, forcing more people to flee in search of survival. The lack of food, medical care, and safe escape routes is aggravating the humanitarian crisis in Kordofan and other conflict-affected areas in Sudan.

The ICRC has urged all parties to the conflict to comply with international humanitarian law, which prohibits attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and markets. Fierce battles have erupted between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in North, South, and West Kordofan as both sides vie for control.

The RSF has seen its territorial control shrink rapidly in recent months across Sudan, while the army has expanded its gains, including the capital, Khartoum, and several other areas. Currently, RSF forces retain control over parts of North and West Kordofan, pockets in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, and four of the five states of the Darfur region.

The conflict between the army and RSF, ongoing since April 2023, has resulted in more than 20,000 deaths and displaced 14 million people, according to the UN and local authorities. However, research from US universities estimates the death toll at around 130,000.