Recent crocodile attacks in northern Sudan have prompted civil defence authorities to urge residents to stay away from the Nile’s riverbanks and report any crocodile sightings to the authorities so specialist fishermen can respond.
The latest incident occurred on 19 July 2026 at Sidra Island, south of Berber in River Nile State, where a young man was attacked by a Nile crocodile and dragged beneath the water. Friends attempted to rescue him, but were unsuccessful. Search efforts to recover his body are ongoing.
Just days earlier, on 10 July, a tomato farmer was killed by a large crocodile while washing clothes on Sai Island in Northern State. The Abri Administrative Unit said the attack took place on the western bank of Sisab.
The incidents have heightened fears among communities living along the Nile, where many people depend on the river for farming, fishing and daily household activities.
The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is native to Sudan and can come into conflict with humans when people use the river’s edge. Experts note that attacks often increase during seasonal changes and flooding, when shifting water levels alter crocodile habitats and bring them closer to populated areas. In conflict-affected regions of Sudan and South Sudan, environmental changes and increased reliance on river resources have further heightened the risk.
