The conflict in Sudan, now in its third year, has surrounded the city of El-Fasher and led to an untenable humanitarian crisis, according to recent warnings from the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP).
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in El-Fasher, Sudan as Starvation Looms
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in El-Fasher, Sudan as Starvation Looms
Residents of the besieged city of El-Fasher face dire conditions, as reports of starvation mount amidst ongoing conflict.
El-Fasher, located in the western Darfur region, has not seen food deliveries for over a year due to its encirclement by paramilitary fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The city, once home to around 300,000 people, is witnessing a growing humanitarian catastrophe amid reports of starvation deaths. The ongoing civil war, which began in April 2023, stems from a brutal power struggle between the Sudanese military and the RSF, creating one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally.
With malnutrition rates troublingly high, UNICEF has reported that many children in Sudan are severely underweight. Al-Hafiz Bakhit, North Darfur’s Governor, echoed the WFP's concerns, declaring that conditions in El-Fasher have become intolerable. Compounding this crisis, the RSF has intensified efforts to take control of the city, notably after being ousted from Sudan's capital, Khartoum.
UN statistics from early July indicate that nearly 38% of children under five in care camps around El-Fasher suffer from acute malnutrition. The WFP reported that food prices have skyrocketed due to severe shortages, driving desperate residents to consume animal feed and food waste. “Everyone in El-Fasher is facing a daily struggle to survive,” stated Eric Perdison, the WFP's regional director.
Eyewitness accounts from residents, including an eight-year-old girl named Sondos, describe alarming conditions dominated by shelling and hunger. “Only hunger and bombs,” she recounted, emphasizing the scarcity of food. Although the WFP has food assistance ready to distribute, it awaits the RSF's approval for a ceasefire to enable deliveries to the desperate populace.
Additionally, the UN has advocated for a humanitarian truce to allow delivery of aid, after a UN convoy faced an attack earlier this year. Sudan’s armed forces have reportedly agreed to a temporary ceasefire, though the RSF has not formally responded pitting hopes for humanitarian relief against ongoing militant actions.
Since the conflict's onset, more than one million residents have fled El-Fasher, exacerbating the refugee crisis in the region. While some areas in central Sudan have started to receive aid again, concerns remain about funding shortages affecting relief efforts, with UNICEF warning of irreversible damage to the future of Sudanese children.
The unfolding crisis has led to an urgent call for international action. “We need access to these children,” lamented UNICEF's Sheldon Yett, highlighting the dire state of the humanitarian situation that demands immediate attention and action from the global community.
