AGP Executive Report

Drones and hunger collide: Sudan’s war is getting deadlier for civilians as UN officials say armed drones are now the leading cause of conflict-related deaths, with at least 880 civilians killed between January and April, and strikes hitting hospitals, schools, markets and other civilian sites. Acute food crisis deepens: A new IPC assessment warns that more than 40% of Sudan’s population—nearly 19.5 million people—are facing acute food insecurity through May, including 135,000 in “catastrophic” conditions across 14 hotspots in Darfur and South Kordofan, with deterioration expected in the June–September lean season. Health pressure mounts: The same monitoring points to a severe nutrition outlook, estimating about 825,000 children under 5 could suffer severe acute malnutrition in 2026 amid limited access to treatment. Aid access still lags: Humanitarian partners are reaching far fewer people than needed, leaving families with fewer options as violence and displacement continue.

Acute Hunger Warning: New IPC figures say nearly 19.5 million people—about two in five Sudanese—are in crisis-level acute food insecurity, with 135,000 in catastrophic conditions across Darfur and South Kordofan and 825,000 children under five at risk of severe acute malnutrition in 2026 as the June–September lean season looms. Famine Risk in Hotspots: While no area is classified as famine right now, monitors warn conditions could tip quickly, especially where sieges and access limits keep food and care from reaching families. Humanitarian Access Moves: The ICRC is ramping up operations with a new Jeddah air hub to speed deployment into Sudan. War’s New Lethality: UN reporting over the week highlights a shift toward drone attacks, with civilian deaths rising as markets and hospitals are hit. Aid Pressure: Coverage also flags that women and girls face the first cuts when funding tightens, deepening health and protection gaps.

Acute Hunger Crisis in Sudan: A new IPC assessment says 19.5 million people (over 40% of Sudan’s population) face acute food insecurity, with 135,000 in Phase 5 “catastrophic” hunger across parts of North Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan. The report warns conditions will worsen in the June–September lean season, with 825,000 children under 5 projected to suffer severe acute malnutrition in 2026. War’s New Pattern: UN-linked reporting highlights how drone strikes are increasingly driving civilian deaths and hitting markets, hospitals, and power—a shift that helps explain why hunger keeps spreading even as front lines move. Aid Access Moves: The ICRC says it is strengthening operations by shifting an operational hub to Jeddah to deploy teams faster into Sudan.

Acute Hunger Alarm: A new IPC assessment says 19.5 million people—over 40% of Sudan’s population—are facing acute hunger, with 135,000 in Phase 5 “catastrophic” conditions across North Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan. Famine Hotspots Shift: The report flags al-Fashir and Kadugli as key risk areas, noting how RSF takeover of al-Fashir and the army breaking the siege of Kadugli have reshaped where starvation concentrates. Lean-Season Threat: IPC warns conditions will likely worsen in June–September, projecting 825,000 children under 5 to suffer severe acute malnutrition in 2026. Health System Collapse: The crisis is compounded by limited access to medical care and widespread damage to services, as families report extreme coping—leaves, grass, animal feed, and skipped meals. War Tactics Worsen Civilian Harm: UN reporting this week also points to a drone-driven escalation, with 880 civilian deaths since January, hitting markets and hospitals.

Sudan War & Health: MSF says there’s a “political failure” to end Sudan’s civil war and fund lifesaving aid, warning that civilians face extreme violence, sexual assault, disease spread, and a health system in collapse—while global funding cuts and delivery hurdles leave many without help. Drone-Led Civilian Harm: The UN human rights chief reiterates that armed drones are now the leading cause of civilian deaths in Sudan, with strikes concentrated in places like Kordofan and fears the next phase could be even deadlier as fighting shifts. Aid Still Reaches Some, But Gaps Grow: Qatar Red Crescent’s Adahi campaign highlights how seasonal giving is being turned into food assistance for crisis-hit countries including Sudan, but the scale of need remains far beyond what’s consistently delivered. Regional Pressure & Diplomacy: AU and UN leaders reaffirm their partnership on peace, human rights, and development—yet Sudan remains a test case for whether diplomacy can translate into protection for civilians.

Sudan War: MSF says there’s “political failure” to end the conflict and fund lifesaving aid, as the UN warns the country is sliding toward an even deadlier phase driven by drones, artillery, camp fires, and violence. Drone Toll: The UN human rights chief reports armed drones caused over 80% of civilian deaths in Sudan in the first four months of 2026, with at least 880 killed, and strikes spreading beyond earlier frontlines. Health Under Strain: UN-linked reporting highlights markets and health facilities hit by attacks, forcing clinics to close or cut services—while aid delivery faces worsening access and funding gaps. Regional Pressure: Egypt’s Al-Sisi and Uganda’s Museveni met to coordinate on Sudan and Nile challenges, while AU–UN leaders reaffirmed their strategic partnership for peace, human rights, and development. Aid Logistics: Dubai Humanitarian says it moved 14,297 tonnes of medical and health supplies and other aid to 101 countries, underscoring how critical delivery capacity is as Sudan’s crisis deepens.

Sudan War Update: The UN human rights chief says drone warfare is pushing Sudan into an “even deadlier phase,” with at least 880 civilian deaths from drone strikes between January and April—over 80% of conflict-related civilian deaths in that period—while attacks on markets and hospitals are forcing services to close or cut back. Sexual Violence and Survivors: A new AFP report puts faces to the harm: Khartoum rape survivor “Nesma” describes being assaulted by RSF fighters and choosing to keep her child—“not my son’s fault”—as thousands of children are born to rape in the war. Regional Pressure on Care: UNFPA warns that Chad’s refugee influx from Sudan is overwhelming maternity care, with women facing emergency caesareans and clinics running short on medicines and specialists. Health Threats: Separate coverage flags growing concern about malaria biology in Sudan, with evidence that Plasmodium vivax can infect people previously thought protected.

Drone-led escalation in Sudan: The UN human rights office says drone strikes killed at least 880 civilians in Sudan between January and April 2026—over 80% of conflict-related civilian deaths in that period—warning the war is heading toward an “even deadlier phase” as hostilities intensify into the rainy season. Healthcare under fire: The same UN report flags repeated drone attacks on health facilities, leaving hospitals partially or fully inoperable, alongside strikes on markets and other civilian infrastructure. Regional pressure points: In parallel, Egypt’s Al-Sisi met UN chief Guterres to press for sustained humanitarian support for Sudan and Gaza, while backing Gulf security amid wider regional tensions. Ongoing health research: A new study raises concern that P. vivax malaria may infect people previously thought protected by blood-group traits, complicating control efforts in Sudan. Sudan accountability push: Sudanese victims have filed a sanctions request to the EU targeting alleged RSF-linked Emirati officials and Sudanese businessmen, seeking asset freezes and travel bans.

Drone war toll in Sudan: The UN says drone strikes killed at least 880 civilians in Sudan between January and April 2026—over 80% of conflict-related civilian deaths in that period—warning the fighting is heading into an “even deadlier phase” as drones let attacks continue through the rainy season. Healthcare hit: The UN rights office says drones have repeatedly struck health facilities, leaving hospitals partially or fully non-operational, while attacks on markets and other civilian infrastructure are also driving hunger and displacement. New health risk: A Sudan-based study raises concern that Plasmodium vivax malaria can infect people previously thought protected by the Duffy-negative blood group, suggesting resistance may be less reliable than assumed. Accountability push: Sudanese victims have filed a request to the EU for targeted sanctions against alleged Emirati officials and Sudanese business figures linked to the RSF, seeking asset freezes and travel bans. Aid access pressure: In Jonglei’s Akobo, violence disrupted humanitarian routes, but nutrition supplies reached malnourished mothers and children via helicopter delivery.

Sudan Drone War: The UN warns Sudan is sliding into an even deadlier phase as armed drones drive civilian deaths—at least 880 killed between January and April, over 80% of conflict-related civilian fatalities in that period—while strikes keep hitting markets and health facilities even during the rainy season. RSF Fractures: RSF commander Ali Rizqallah, known as “El Safana,” says he has defected, telling the “Sudanese people” he’s leaving the RSF and hinting more is coming. Accountability Push: Sudanese victims have filed a sanctions request to the EU’s High Representative, targeting alleged Emirati officials and Sudanese businessmen linked to the RSF, demanding asset freezes and an end to foreign support. Humanitarian Access: In Jonglei’s Akobo, aid reached malnourished mothers and children after violence disrupted access, with WFP and Save the Children delivering nutrition supplies by helicopter. Health System Damage: Reports continue to show how the war has devastated Khartoum’s hospitals and churches, with repeated attacks, looting, and forced relocations.

In the past 12 hours, the most Sudan-focused health-related coverage centers on renewed international concern about attacks on medical care and personnel, alongside fresh reporting of drone strikes hitting civilian infrastructure. UN experts condemned ongoing attacks on Sudan’s healthcare system, warning that the pattern persists despite the 2016 adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2286. Separately, a drone strike in southern Sudan reportedly killed five people and wounded nine at fuel stations in Kosti, with the Sudan Doctors Network attributing the attack to RSF and describing it as part of repeated strikes on civilian infrastructure—an escalation that further strains an already fragile humanitarian and health environment.

The same 12-hour window also includes diplomatic engagement tied to Sudan’s crisis response: Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation met the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy for Sudan, discussing developments in Sudan, Qatar’s humanitarian support (including for the health sector), and efforts toward a comprehensive political solution. While not a direct “health system” update, it signals continued external coordination around humanitarian and health needs. In parallel, coverage also includes a broader health workforce and access theme—though largely U.S.-focused—via reporting that DHS restarted visa processing for foreign doctors hired by U.S. hospitals, a reminder that health system staffing and training pipelines remain politically contested internationally.

From the 12 to 24 hours ago range, the strongest continuity is the sustained documentation of violence against healthcare and the human toll. Reporting states that the number of medical personnel killed in Sudan has risen to 235, and UN experts again condemned attacks on Sudan’s healthcare system. This period also includes additional context on the operational environment: drone strikes are described as intensifying across Khartoum and Al Jazira, and Sudan’s armed forces accuse Ethiopia and the UAE of involvement in a Khartoum airport drone attack—claims Ethiopia denies and which Reuters says it could not independently verify. Together, these items reinforce that security dynamics and cross-border allegations are continuing alongside direct impacts on health services.

Looking back 24 to 72 hours, the coverage shifts toward disease prevention and health system collapse. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warns that three years of war have dismantled vaccination programs and disease surveillance, fueling preventable outbreaks; it reports treating at least 13,000 measles cases in Darfur in early 2026 and calls for flexible funding, unblocked delivery routes, and safe passage for humanitarian supplies. This complements the more immediate “attack” reporting by highlighting how insecurity and access constraints translate into measurable public health deterioration.

Overall, the most recent evidence is relatively dense on violence and accountability (UN condemnation, rising medical deaths, and drone strikes), while the deeper health-system trajectory is best supported by MSF’s earlier outbreak and vaccination breakdown reporting. The combination suggests both immediate harm to healthcare delivery and longer-running collapse of preventive services, but the dataset in the last 12 hours is more about incidents and advocacy than about new clinical or programmatic interventions inside Sudan.

In the past 12 hours, coverage centered on the continued deterioration of Sudan’s health environment amid active hostilities. The Sudan Doctors Network reported that deaths among medical personnel have risen to 235, following the killing of a medical laboratory doctor (Adel Musa Al-Tijani). UN experts also condemned ongoing attacks on Sudan’s hospitals and medical personnel, arguing that systematic attacks persist despite the 2016 adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2286 and calling for concrete international action to protect the collapsing health system. Separately, multiple reports described drone strikes hitting civilian infrastructure: a strike on two fuel stations in Kosti killed five and wounded nine, and another report described a drone strike killing five at fuel stations in southern Sudan—both framed by medical groups as part of repeated attacks that worsen humanitarian and health conditions.

The same short window also included reporting that Sudan’s conflict dynamics are intensifying beyond the immediate battlefield. Sudan’s armed forces accused Ethiopia and the UAE of involvement in a drone attack on Khartoum airport, while Ethiopia rejected the accusations and denied involvement. This matters for healthcare coverage because the reports link renewed strikes and “barrage” activity to a broader breakdown of stability in the capital, where residents and international agencies had begun returning after earlier shifts in control.

Beyond immediate violence, the last 12 hours also carried signals of continuity in health-system strain and international engagement. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) urged a boost to Sudan’s vaccination programs, warning that three years of war have dismantled vaccination and surveillance systems and that outbreaks are spiraling without flexible funding and safe humanitarian access. In parallel, there were institutional/health-sector developments outside the conflict zone: Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar (WCM-Q) celebrated its largest graduating class, including a Sudanese national, and India and Sudan held the 9th Foreign Office Consultations in Port Sudan, explicitly covering cooperation areas including health.

Older items in the 3–7 day range reinforce the pattern that attacks and displacement are driving public health emergencies. Reporting highlighted that the Sudan Doctors Network described RSF shelling as devastating health services in South Kordofan, and other coverage referenced measles outbreaks and the broader collapse of disease prevention efforts. However, compared with the dense cluster of last-12-hours headlines, the older material is more supportive background than a clear sign of a new turning point—especially since the most recent evidence is dominated by strike reports and renewed condemnation of attacks on healthcare.