The ongoing civil war in Sudan has led to severe starvation risks for families trapped in el-Fasher. The World Food Programme warns that over a year without food deliveries and continuous conflict are resulting in deaths by starvation, particularly affecting vulnerable populations including children.
Starvation Looms in Besieged Sudanese City Amid Ongoing Conflict
Starvation Looms in Besieged Sudanese City Amid Ongoing Conflict
Residents of el-Fasher face extreme food shortages as the humanitarian crisis worsens, with little hope for aid delivery.
Families in el-Fasher, a city in Sudan's conflict-ridden Darfur region, are on the brink of starvation, according to urgent warnings from the World Food Programme (WFP). The humanitarian situation has deteriorated drastically as the city has been under siege by paramilitary groups for almost 16 months, with the WFP unable to deliver food supplies via road for more than a year.
The city, which houses an estimated 300,000 individuals, has become increasingly isolated amid the ongoing conflict fueled by a power struggle between Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Local activists have begun reporting fatalities attributed to starvation, intensifying fears regarding the welfare of trapped residents.
The WFP’s emergency statement coincides with reports of widespread malnutrition, especially in children. UNICEF has highlighted that many youngsters in the region are suffering from severe malnutrition, described grimly as “skin and bones.”
Governor Al-Hafiz Bakhit of North Darfur has also appealed for urgent assistance, indicating that the living conditions in el-Fasher are dire. Bakhit is aligned with the military-led government, which is desperately trying to hold onto the city as the RSF escalates their assault.
Reports from the WFP have revealed alarmingly high food prices and extreme shortages, with locals resorting to eating animal feed and food scraps to survive. An eight-year-old girl, Sondos, who fled the city, shared her harrowing experience of hunger and violence, stating, "In el-Fasher there was a lot of shelling and hunger."
Despite having food aid ready for dispatch, the WFP is currently waiting for the RSF to respond to requests for a ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of supplies. The UN has requested a week-long humanitarian truce since June, yet the RSF has refused, claiming the truce could be used for aiding the Sudanese army’s beleaguered forces.
International organizations have reported a staggering displacement, with over one million people fleeing el-Fasher since conflict erupted. While some areas in central Sudan have seen slight improvements, the funding cuts have stretched resources thin, jeopardizing the lives of countless children who urgently need aid.
The crisis in Sudan underscores the international community's failure to respond with adequate urgency, with the clock ticking for vulnerable populations. As the situation threatens irreversible damage to an entire generation, there is a resounding call for collective action to alleviate the misery of those trapped in this humanitarian catastrophe.
