Sudan missing persons exceed 11,000, ICRC reports

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reported more than 11,000 active cases of missing persons in Sudan. Of these, over 9,000 cases have been documented since the outbreak of fighting in April 2023.

ICRC spokesperson Farid Al-Hamid stated that the organization is coordinating with the Sudanese Red Crescent to determine the fate of the missing. In the first six months of 2026, the ICRC successfully located or determined the fate of 613 missing individuals and facilitated contact between more than 38,500 separated persons and their families.

Al-Hamid highlighted significant challenges regarding the deceased, noting reports that over 20,000 bodies have been buried in Khartoum without official registration or documentation. To address this, the ICRC has trained emergency teams in burial methods that allow for future identification.

The ICRC continues to hold confidential bilateral talks with all parties to the conflict to ensure compliance with International Humanitarian Law. This follows the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of approximately 13 million people.