**ICRC Helps 38,500 Families Reconnect as Sudan’s Missing‑Person Crisis Grows**
*Amsterdam / Khartoum –* The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reports that more than 11,000 people are now registered as missing in Sudan, a 40 % rise over the past year. The increase is linked to the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has driven displacement, arrests and disappearances.
According to ICRC spokesperson Farid Al Humaid, the organisation has helped 38,512 families reconnect or maintain contact with relatives and clarified the fate and whereabouts of 613 missing persons in the first half of 2026. In 2025 the ICRC clarified the status of 846 missing people registered with it.
### Field Coordination and Services
Al Humaid said the ICRC’s work in Sudan relies heavily on its partnership with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society. Volunteers from the Red Crescent are present on the frontlines and act as a link between the ICRC and the communities it serves.
In the first half of 2026 the ICRC and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society:
* Assisted 1,973 people through telephone calls and field visits, including via the ICRC’s Restoring Family Links hotline.
* Provided wireless internet services to 7,630 people and mobile‑phone charging services to 7,226 people, helping families maintain contact during emergencies.
Families seeking information about missing relatives can contact the ICRC, the Red Cross, or Red Crescent societies in their area, or call the ICRC’s free Restoring Family Links hotline from inside Sudan at 60222.
### Challenges
The ICRC notes that access to detention facilities remains severely restricted. Disrupted communications networks in some areas and the direct impact of the conflict further complicate field coordination. The organisation maintains confidential dialogue with authorities and armed actors to secure access and to incorporate international humanitarian law obligations into operational procedures.
### Legal Context
Al Humaid explained that while some detainees may be considered missing by their families, not every case of detention without notification constitutes an enforced disappearance. Determining whether a case meets the legal definition of enforced disappearance requires an assessment of the individual circumstances.
### Three‑Part Response
The ICRC’s comprehensive response in Sudan focuses on:
1. **Restoring Contact** – operating a Restoring Family Links hotline and providing free telephone calls and Wi‑Fi to help families maintain or restore contact, especially during displacement.
2. **Searching for Missing People** – collecting requests and conducting searches on behalf of families, in coordination with Sudanese Red Crescent volunteers.
3. **Managing Human Remains** – supporting authorities and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society in safely and dignified handling of remains, including distributing body bags, rehabilitating mortuaries, and training first responders and forensic workers in safe burial practices.
Al Humaid said that these measures are essential for ensuring that people can be identified in the future.
*Note: This report was translated from Arabic with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools and subsequently reviewed and adapted by a human editor before publication.*
Article and image source: allafrica.com
