5,300 Flee Sudan’s Blue Nile Amid Rising Insecurity
More than 5,300 people have fled Qaisan and nearby villages amid rising insecurity, IOM says.
Founder & Chief Editor · 18 August 2026 · 2 min read
More than 5,300 people have been displaced from Qaisan town and nearby villages in southeastern Sudan over four days as security conditions deteriorated, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Monday.
The UN agency said its field teams estimated that 5,355 people, representing 1,071 families, fled Qaisan and seven surrounding villages in Blue Nile State between August 12 and 15.
The displaced families have moved to other areas within Qaisan, as well as to the localities of Al-Roseires and Wad Al-Mahi, also in Blue Nile State. The IOM said security conditions in the area remain tense and volatile, raising concerns about further displacement as fighting and insecurity continue.
Thousands displaced amid clashes in Qaisan The latest displacement follows an earlier wave of departures from Qaisan.
On August 11, the IOM reported that about 2,500 people, or 500 families, had been displaced from the town because of worsening insecurity and clashes in the area.
On the same day, Qaisan authorities said the Sudanese army had repelled an attack on the town by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the allied Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).
The successive waves of displacement highlight the growing humanitarian pressure on communities in Blue Nile State, where civilians continue to seek safety as security conditions deteriorate.
Founder & Chief Editor
Founder and Chief Editor of Osmara Digital Media. Journalist and historian telling Africa's stories through an African lens, from West Nile to the continent.
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