As Sudan's civil war escalates, the World Food Programme highlights a dire threat of starvation for residents in el-Fasher, where delivery of aid has been blocked for over a year due to ongoing fighting between the Sudanese army and paramilitary forces.
Urgent Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan's El-Fasher as Starvation Looms

Urgent Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan's El-Fasher as Starvation Looms
UN warns of impending starvation in the besieged city amid intensified conflict and humanitarian blockade.
The humanitarian situation in el-Fasher, a city in Sudan's Darfur region, has reached a critical point, with the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) issuing a stark warning about starvation among its residents. The city has been encircled by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for nearly 16 months, rendering aid delivery by road impossible for over a year. Approximately 300,000 people are trapped inside el-Fasher, and local activists have reported cases of fatal starvation.
The civil war that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the RSF has plunged the country into one of the most severe humanitarian crises worldwide. Furthermore, the UN children's agency, UNICEF, has stated that malnutrition affects many children across Sudan, with some being described as "reduced to skin and bones."
Amid this crisis, North Darfur Governor Al-Hafiz Bakhit has implored for urgent action to alleviate the unbearable living conditions in el-Fasher, which remains under military control but is also targeted by the RSF. The fighting has escalated in the last few months, especially after RSF forces were ousted from the capital, Khartoum.
Reports indicate that severe food shortages have led to skyrocketing prices for the limited supplies that do reach the city, forcing residents to resort to unconventional food sources such as animal fodder and waste. Eric Perdison, WFP's regional director for eastern and southern Africa, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that "Everyone in el-Fasher is facing a daily struggle to survive," while also calling for immediate access to aid.
One poignant testimony from an eight-year-old girl highlights the extreme hardships faced by families: "In el-Fasher there was a lot of shelling and hunger. Only hunger and bombs," she shared, revealing their survival on minimal rations.
The WFP has trucks ready to distribute food and nutrition assistance but awaits clearance from RSF to facilitate humanitarian access—the same RSF that has been blocking trade routes to el-Fasher. The UN's efforts to establish a humanitarian truce have been complicated by mutual accusations of violence between the RSF and the armed forces.
Amid the backdrop of ongoing conflict, over a million people have fled el-Fasher since the war began, with many recounting harrowing experiences of displacement and ongoing threats from RSF-aligned gangs. Although there have been minor advancements in aid access in central Sudan, UNICEF has warned of dire conditions, citing funding cuts and the urgent need for action to avoid irreversible damage to the younger generation.
In light of these developments, the international community is urged to address the looming catastrophe and ensure adequate access to vulnerable populations in Sudan.