Cholera Outbreak Threatens Darfur Amid Ongoing Conflict

In the displacement camps across Darfur, families are crowded under torn tents and rely on contaminated water sources, as epidemics resurge, claiming lives that had survived the violence and shelling. While fighting continues to reshape the conflict landscape in western Sudan, hundreds are dying quietly from diseases in one of the world’s most war-affected regions.

With the rainy season underway, international health organizations and local activists warn of an imminent humanitarian disaster. Stagnant water pools have become breeding grounds for disease, and drinking water is mixing with rainwater amid an almost complete absence of basic health services.

According to a World Health Organization briefing in Geneva on July 10, 2026, more than 1,330 confirmed cholera cases and 114 deaths have been recorded, with expectations that these numbers will rise as the rainy season progresses. Dr. Shibl Sahbani, the WHO representative in Sudan, stated during the briefing that the current fatality rate among infected individuals stands at 13.7%, describing it as "extremely high." He noted that the outbreak is concentrated in the Darfur and Kordofan regions, where access for relief and healthcare workers remains severely restricted.

Sahbani called for increased humanitarian aid access to affected areas, highlighting cities such as Al-Obeid, Kadugli, and Dalang, which are under tight siege that blocks medical and food supplies. He emphasized that ongoing fighting makes it impossible to effectively manage the epidemic.

Field sources indicate that these official figures represent only a fraction of the reality, as many affected areas remain outside epidemiological monitoring. Deaths occurring in remote camps or during displacement journeys often go unrecorded by the WHO.

Adam Rajjal, official spokesperson for the General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur, told Al Jazeera that displacement camps across the region are experiencing a worsening humanitarian and health crisis that has exceeded human endurance, with a severe shortage of medicines and medical supplies. He explained that the spread of infectious diseases—including cholera, malaria, measles, and acute diarrhea—occurs amid the shutdown of most health facilities. Rajjal warned that the situation is rapidly escalating toward a major humanitarian catastrophe.

He stressed that children and women are the most affected groups, with malnutrition rates among them reaching alarming levels. He pointed out that shortages of food, clean water, and shelter have contributed to increased mortality rates, alongside rising cases of psychological trauma and gender-based violence, which further weaken displaced communities.

Hamdi Osman, a humanitarian and human rights activist in West Darfur, told Al Jazeera that Rapid Support Forces (RSF) destroyed water wells using drones in areas including Kalbas, Bir Umm Sulaybah, and neighboring villages north of Geneina city, turning drinking water into a weapon of war. Osman said this "systematic destruction of water sources" has significantly worsened the humanitarian crisis, causing a severe shortage of clean drinking water and contributing to the spread of cholera, typhoid, and malaria among displaced persons fleeing those areas.

He added that displaced people from Kalbas, Bir Umm Sulaybah, and nearby villages currently live outdoors under trees in tragic conditions, while some have managed to reach eastern Chad seeking safety. Osman described how the displaced drink contaminated water and eat whatever they can find, noting that cholera is only one link in a long chain of suffering endured by Darfur’s people for over two decades. He also stated that statistical and emergency teams have not conducted accurate counts of infected individuals due to deteriorating security conditions.

Osman urged the international community to ensure access for international organizations and open safe corridors for relief efforts. He warned that if the situation continues, it will lead to a health disaster beyond the capacity of any entity to contain, especially with the RSF’s intensive use of drones targeting civilian infrastructure.

Al Jazeera sought comment from the Rapid Support Forces regarding accusations of water well destruction and targeting civilians but had not received a response by the time of publication. The forces had previously denied targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.

In contrast, Musab Mohammed, the acting Federal Ministry of Health Undersecretary, reported detecting several cases in Khartoum state among individuals arriving from North Kordofan. He confirmed that all treated cases have fully recovered after receiving necessary medical care.

Regarding the general health situation, the undersecretary told Al Jazeera in a private statement that Khartoum state is currently free of cholera, noting that previously recorded cases were imported from Al-Mazroub area in North Kordofan and not locally transmitted. He explained that infections have been recorded in both North and West Kordofan states, based on reports and data collected by the ministry’s field surveillance teams in those areas.

Mohammed confirmed ongoing monitoring of cases in North and West Kordofan, where the cumulative number of infections has exceeded 1,547, according to the latest investigation reports from field teams. He also indicated that the Federal Ministry of Health maintains a high state of readiness through emergency rooms distributed across various states to provide rapid response and coordinate field efforts to limit the disease’s spread and control it.

These developments occur as Sudan faces the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with over 33 million people requiring assistance, including 21 million needing health services, and 13.4 million displaced individuals. Continuous displacement and overcrowded shelters increase the risk of infection spread, particularly with more than 127 deaths linked to the outbreak recorded in Kordofan during the recent wave.

The risks intensify with the onset of the rainy season, which raises the likelihood of floodwaters mixing with drinking water sources. This situation keeps health authorities in a constant state of alert to implement urgent interventions and prevent imported cases from becoming new outbreak centers.