Country Risk Report
Sudan
Khartoum
Arabic (official), English and others
Sudanese pound (SDG)
Executive Summary
Sudan is classified as an EXTREME risk destination and is the site of the world's largest humanitarian and displacement crisis. A civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has raged since April 2023 and is now in its fourth year. Estimates of the dead range into the tens of thousands, with some reaching around 150,000, and the United Nations projects that 33.7 million people will need humanitarian aid in 2026. The SAF recaptured Khartoum in March 2025 and the military-led government returned to the capital in January 2026, but the city is devastated. The RSF controls most of Darfur and captured El Fasher in October 2025, followed by mass killings, sexual violence and ethnically targeted atrocities that UN investigators have described as carrying the hallmarks of genocide. Cover for Sudan is available on request only. Standard travel insurance is invalid, and travel is viable only for critical humanitarian or media purposes with specialist security support and comprehensive war-risk, evacuation and kidnap-for-ransom insurance in place.
- The Kordofan region has become the main epicentre of fighting, with near-daily drone strikes and sieges of towns including Kadugli and Dilling. Drone strikes killed more than a thousand civilians in the first five months of 2026.
- Famine has been declared in El Fasher and Kadugli, with more than twenty further areas at risk. Both sides have been found to use starvation as a weapon and to obstruct humanitarian access.
- The RSF takeover of El Fasher (Darfur) was followed by mass killings, sexual violence and ethnically targeted atrocities against non-Arab communities.
- Hospitals and aid convoys have been hit; medical staff have been killed or detained and the healthcare system has effectively collapsed.
- Cover for Sudan is available on request only and requires pre-travel approval. Standard travel insurance is invalid.
Risk Matrix
| Category | Risk Rating | Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| Armed Conflict | Extreme | Active civil war between SAF and RSF, now in its fourth year, with drone strikes and sieges nationwide. |
| Terrorism | High | The dominant threat is warfare, though armed groups and extremist elements operate amid the chaos. |
| Kidnapping | Extreme | Abduction, detention and disappearance by armed actors, plus mass atrocity in RSF-held areas. |
| Crime | Extreme | Widespread looting, armed robbery and extortion amid collapsed order. |
| Civil Unrest | High | Grievance and displacement drive unrest, constrained by wartime control. |
| Health & Medical | Extreme | Healthcare has collapsed and famine is present. Serious cases require difficult evacuation. |
| Internal Travel | Extreme | Front lines, sieges, checkpoints, mines and destroyed infrastructure make movement extremely dangerous. |
| Digital / Cyber | High | Monitoring, disrupted connectivity and device scrutiny at checkpoints. |
Essential Precautions
Security Situation
Sudan is an active war zone with no safe region for foreign nationals other than, relatively, the eastern SAF-held areas around Port Sudan. Front lines, sieges, drone and air strikes, mass atrocity and famine define the environment, and conditions shift with the fighting.
Khartoum and Central Sudan
Darfur (Western Sudan)
Kordofan (South and West)
Eastern Sudan and Port Sudan
Detailed Risk Assessment
Armed Conflict
An active civil war between the SAF and the RSF continues into its fourth year, with ground offensives, artillery, heavy drone use and airstrikes. The RSF holds most of Darfur, the SAF holds the centre and east, and Kordofan is fiercely contested.
Central areas including Khartoum have shifted to SAF control but remain damaged and insecure.
Darfur is under RSF control after the fall of El Fasher, with continued attacks on remaining populations.
Kordofan sees the most intense current fighting, with sieges and daily strikes.
The east is comparatively stable but exposed to drone strikes and the wider war.
Terrorism
The dominant threat is warfare rather than organised terrorism, but the collapse of order allows armed groups and extremist elements to operate, and civilians are routinely targeted by warring forces.
Central areas face the risk of strikes and armed incidents rather than classic terrorism.
Darfur sees systematic violence against civilians by the RSF and allied militias.
Kordofan faces indiscriminate drone and artillery attacks on civilian areas.
The east faces a lower but real risk of drone strikes and infiltration.
Kidnapping and Detention
Abduction, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance by armed actors are widespread, and in RSF-held areas civilians face mass atrocity, detention in brutal conditions, and sexual violence. Aid workers have been killed and detained.
Central areas carry a risk of detention and abduction by armed actors amid disorder.
Darfur presents an extreme risk of mass atrocity, detention and sexual violence, especially for non-Arab communities.
Kordofan carries a high risk of abduction and detention amid active fighting.
The east is comparatively safer but not immune to detention by security forces.
Crime and Lawlessness
The collapse of order has produced widespread looting, armed robbery and extortion. Checkpoints operated by armed actors routinely seize money, food and aid, and there is effectively no functioning civil protection for travellers in conflict areas.
Khartoum suffers looting and armed crime amid its devastation.
Darfur is effectively lawless under RSF control, with systematic pillage.
Kordofan sees extortion and robbery along contested routes.
The east has comparatively more order but still significant crime.
Internal Travel
Movement is extremely dangerous. Front lines, sieges, checkpoints, destroyed infrastructure, mines and aerial threats all constrain travel, and borders and airports open and close with the fighting. Overland routes cross contested and besieged areas.
Movement around Khartoum is constrained by damage, checkpoints and insecurity.
Travel in Darfur is exceptionally hazardous and should be avoided.
Kordofan routes cross active front lines and besieged towns.
The east, via Port Sudan, is the most viable entry and humanitarian corridor.
Health and Disease
The healthcare system has collapsed. Hospitals have been bombed and looted, medical staff killed or detained, and famine has been declared in El Fasher and Kadugli with more than twenty further areas at risk. Disease outbreaks are widespread and serious cases require difficult international evacuation.
Khartoum's medical infrastructure is devastated and only partially functional.
Darfur's health system has effectively collapsed, with famine and blocked aid.
Kordofan hospitals have been struck and besieged, cutting care for millions.
The east retains more functioning facilities and is the main aid base, though strained.
Cultural and Religious Sensitivities
Sudan is a conservative, majority-Muslim society, and Islamic norms are widely observed. Ethnic identity is highly charged given the ethnically targeted violence in Darfur, and political and ethnic topics are dangerous. Dress conservatively and defer to local guidance.
Central areas are conservative and tense around the war and politics.
Darfur is defined by acute ethnic targeting, making identity extremely sensitive.
Kordofan is conservative with significant ethnic and communal tension.
The east is conservative and comparatively more stable socially.
Landmines and Unexploded Ordnance
Decades of conflict, compounded by the current war, have left landmine and unexploded-ordnance contamination across former and current battle areas. Contamination is worsening in active zones, and travellers should stay strictly on established routes.
Contamination surrounds former battle areas in and around Khartoum.
Darfur has significant contamination from long-running conflict.
Kordofan's active fighting is adding fresh contamination.
The east is comparatively less affected but not clear.
Diplomatic and Government Situation
The SAF-led transitional government returned to Khartoum in January 2026 and controls the centre and east, while the RSF controls most of Darfur and contests Kordofan. Many embassies operate from Port Sudan or remain closed, and consular support inside the country is minimal. Ceasefire proposals have repeatedly failed.
Khartoum is again the seat of government but operates amid devastation.
Darfur is under RSF control with no functioning central authority.
Kordofan is contested between the warring parties.
The east and Port Sudan host the functioning government and diplomatic presence.
Digital and Cyber Threats
Connectivity is disrupted by the war and periodic blackouts, and communications are monitored. Device inspection can occur at checkpoints, and sensitive content or affiliations can create serious risk in a lawless environment.
Khartoum has damaged and intermittent connectivity.
Darfur has very limited and heavily compromised connectivity.
Kordofan connectivity is disrupted by fighting and strikes.
The east has more stable connectivity via Port Sudan.
Vaccinations & Health Hazards
Strongly Recommended
- Yellow Fever
Required or recommended depending on area and entry rules; carry certification.
- Poliomyelitis
Recommended given circulation and disrupted immunisation.
- Hepatitis A and Typhoid
Recommended due to contaminated food and water.
- Meningococcal meningitis
Recommended given Sudan's position in the meningitis belt.
- Hepatitis B and Tetanus
Recommended given limited safe medical care and trauma risk.
- Cholera
Consider given active outbreaks amid the humanitarian crisis.
Other Health Hazards
- Famine and malnutrition: Famine is present in parts of the country. Carry your own supplies and do not rely on local provisioning.
- Disease outbreaks: Cholera, malaria and other outbreaks are widespread amid collapsed services.
- Trauma capacity: Trauma care is minimal and facilities have been bombed. Carry a trauma kit and pre-arrange evacuation.
- Heat and environment: Extreme heat and difficult terrain complicate medical response.
- Routine vaccines: Ensure all primary courses and boosters are up to date on the UK schedule. Consult a health professional four to six weeks before departure.
Choosing the Right Insurance
Standard travel insurance is invalid for Sudan. Cover is available on request only and must be specialist war-risk insurance covering:
- Emergency medical evacuation
- Security extraction
- Repatriation
- Kidnap-for-ransom (K&R) response
- Given collapsed healthcare and minimal consular support, evacuation and K&R cover are essential. Policies may exclude Darfur and Kordofan and require pre-travel approval.
Annex A - Key Risk Dynamics
Checkpoints and Detention Triggers
Extortion and detention: Armed actors at checkpoints routinely seize money, food and aid, and detain travellers. Multiple forces: Checkpoints are run by SAF, RSF and allied militias with very different conduct and rules. Documentation: Carry original documents and a verifiable humanitarian or media purpose. Fake checkpoints: Armed groups set up informal checkpoints to rob and abduct.Kidnapping and Detention Dynamics
Armed-actor abduction and detention by warring forces and militias is widespread, with brutal conditions. In RSF-held Darfur, non-Arab communities face mass atrocity and targeted detention. Aid workers have been killed and detained; humanitarian status is no protection. Most incidents occur in transit and at checkpoints on contested routes.High-Risk Travellers
Typically excluded from standard corporate insurance without a specific war-risk rider: leisure travellers (no reason or support structure to be in an active war zone); unaccompanied individuals (extreme risk at checkpoints and on contested routes); first-time hostile-environment travellers (unlikely to manage siege, atrocity and famine conditions); non-Arab and minority travellers (heightened risk in RSF-controlled areas).Annex B - Key Preparation & Checklists
Essential Preparation and Medical
Travel only for critical purposes with specialist security support and war-risk insurance covering evacuation and K&R. Plan entry via the east and Port Sudan, the most viable corridor. Carry your own food, water and medical supplies; famine and shortages are widespread. Establish extraction and evacuation plans before arrival and carry a trauma kit.Digital Security and Checkpoints
Travel with clean devices and enable remote wipe. Clear sensitive imagery, mapping data and affiliations. Plan for connectivity disruption and monitoring. Turn off geolocation and cloud sync.Movement and Operational Security
Avoid Darfur and Kordofan, which are the zones of active atrocity, siege and daily strikes. Expect extortion and detention at checkpoints; coordinate with humanitarian security networks. Identify hardened shelter and plan around drone and air strikes. Stay strictly on established routes to avoid landmines.Conduct and Legal Compliance
Avoid ethnic and political topics, which are extremely charged given the Darfur atrocities. Dress conservatively and observe local norms. Never photograph forces, checkpoints or military sites.This report is provided for information only and does not constitute travel or security advice. Ratings are indicative and subject to change without notice. Confirm current conditions with Hotspot Cover before any deployment.
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