UN News Today 11 September 2025 |

Sudan: War, bureaucracy and attacks hamper humanitarian access

The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, says humanitarian access continues to be severely constrained in war-torn Sudan, as the brutal fighting between rival militaries, attacks on aid workers and bureaucratic barriers block delivery of lifesaving assistance.

No aid convoys have reached El Fasher, the besieged state capital of North Darfur, since January.

Heavy rains have cut key roads between South and East Darfur – and in the capital Khartoum, dealing with a deadly cholera outbreak and the influx of returnees, remain hampered by complex approval demands, and unforeseen costs.

Artillery fire struck multiple locations earlier this week in besieged El Fasher in Darfur – the last Government-controlled city in the whole region where the RSF militia now hold sway. 

Drone strikes hit the town of Kuma on Sunday, about 70 kilometres east of El Fasher, and the capital came under attack on Tuesday.

Here’s UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric:

“The greater Khartoum area was also impacted by drone strikes that hit several key civilian sites including an electricity station, leading to a major power outage in the capital. The aerial assault shattered the relative calm that has prevailed there in recent months, demonstrating some of the risks that the civilians returning to the area in large numbers face. These incidents also raise serious concerns about the growing use of drone warfare in populated areas – something we’re seeing in many parts of the world.”

Surging violence imperils civilians in eastern DR Congo

Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, OCHA is sounding the alarm over a recent surge in violence impacting civilians in the east, where multiple armed groups have been battling Government forces and their allies for years.

At least 89 civilians were killed in attacks by armed groups on Monday night, around Beni and Lubero in North Kivu province. Local authorities report that a dozen are still missing.

At least 140 civilians have been killed reportedly since mid-August in the same areas. Here’s the UN Spokesperson again.

“Our humanitarian partners on the ground report that these attacks indiscriminately target women, children and vulnerable communities, forcing people to flee and leaving entire villages and fields abandoned.”

Since the second half of 2024, attacks have claimed the lives of over 2,050 civilians across Beni and Lubero, OCHA says.

IOM calls for $16.8 million to aid victims of Afghanistan quake

And finally, the UN International Organization for Migration, IOM, is urgently calling for $16.8 million to assist the victims of the earthquake in Afghanistan which devastated a remote and mountainous area of the east, 12 days ago.

More than 2,100 people lost their lives, 3,600 were injured, over 7,000 homes were destroyed, and nearly 500,000 people have been affected overall, according to the IOM and humanitarian partners.

IOM’s Deputy Director Ugochi Daniels warned on Thursday that “with winter fast approaching, their situation will only worsen without urgent support.”

Immediate needs include shelter and winter supplies such as tents, blankets, and heating, as well as access to clean water and sanitation.

The IOM and partners have reached more than 80 affected villages, and they say immediate donor support is needed during the difficult months ahead.

Matt Wells, UN News