Urgent Call for Aid as El-Fasher Faces Looming Starvation

The situation in el-Fasher, Sudan, is dire as families endure severe starvation due to ongoing conflict between military factions. The UN's World Food Programme highlights catastrophic food shortages and rising malnutrition, warning that urgent interventions are necessary to prevent loss of life in the war-torn region.

As Sudan's civil war enters its third year, the humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate, particularly in the besieged city of el-Fasher. The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) has raised alarm over the growing risk of starvation among approximately 300,000 residents, as it has been over a year since they could deliver vital food supplies by road. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, has surrounded el-Fasher for nearly 16 months, intensifying their efforts to capture the city from the Sudanese army.

Local activists report harrowing accounts of starvation-related deaths, as the conflict between Sudan’s army and the RSF has plunged the nation into one of the worst humanitarian disasters worldwide since fighting erupted in April 2023. Unicef has echoed these grave concerns, revealing alarming rates of malnutrition among children. An estimated 38% of children under five in displaced persons camps in the vicinity of el-Fasher are suffering from acute malnutrition.

Nearby, the North Darfur Governor Al-Hafiz Bakhit condemned the situation in el-Fasher as unbearable. With the city under siege and trade routes severed, food prices have skyrocketed, forcing desperate families to resort to consuming animal fodder and food waste. The WFP's regional director, Eric Perdison, condemned the dire living conditions, stressing that lives are at stake without immediate assistance.

In a poignant encounter, an eight-year-old girl named Sondos recounted the horrors of el-Fasher, stating, "In el-Fasher there was a lot of shelling and hunger. Only hunger and bombs." While the WFP has trucks loaded with much-needed food, the organization waits for permission from the RSF and the Sudanese government to facilitate a humanitarian truce that would allow aid to reach the city's residents.

Despite recent discussions around a temporary ceasefire, the RSF's stance remains uncertain, as they suspect it might be used to resupply the Sudanese army. As conflict displaces more than a million people from el-Fasher, the UN and humanitarian organizations are emphasizing the critical need for immediate intervention. Unicef's Sheldon Yett warned of an impending catastrophe, expressing concern for a generation of children, stating that urgent action is required to prevent further suffering. The situation serves as a stark reminder of the escalating crisis as both international aid and humanitarian access remain perilously limited.