A U.N.-backed hunger-monitoring group warns famine is spreading in Sudan, 20 months after fighting erupted between Sudan’s military rulers and the rival Rapid Support Forces. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification reports more than 24.6 million people — one-half of Sudan’s population — are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. A surge of fighting in Sudan’s White Nile, Sennar and Blue Nile states has pushed more than 80,000 people to seek refuge across the border into South Sudan. Silva Alkebeh is with the U.N. Refugee Agency.

Silva Alkebeh: “This place two weeks ago was almost empty. We built the reception center to accommodate few hundred of people. Currently we have over 5,000 refugees and returnees who are staying at the border and many of them also staying at the roadside connecting Renk town with the border. People are arriving currently from six border points, and that requires scaling up of all resources, all our capacity to be able to assist them. People are staying with the community, sharing very limited resources with everyone.”