El-Fasher in Crisis: Urgently Needed Food Aid Amidst Prolonged Conflict
In the heart of Sudan, the city of El-Fasher and its surrounding displacement camps, including Abu Shouk and Zamzam, have been under siege for nearly 16 months by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This prolonged conflict has led to a critical humanitarian emergency, with hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped without access to essential aid.
The situation in El-Fasher has deteriorated significantly, with conditions becoming increasingly unlivable. The city, once bustling with life, now faces widespread starvation, confirmed cases of famine since August 2024, escalating malnutrition, and outbreaks of cholera. Food prices have surged drastically, and community kitchens have largely shut down due to severe shortages.
Civilians face ongoing violence, including repeated attacks by RSF militias, with confirmed war crimes, killings, sexual violence, and attacks on civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and markets. At least 57 civilians were killed in an RSF attack in August 2025, including in the Abu Shouk camp, and many try to flee but are blocked from exiting.
The United Nations (UN) and humanitarian organizations have repeatedly called for a humanitarian pause or ceasefire to allow safe and unhindered delivery of life-saving aid, including food, water, and medicine. The UN Secretary-General and humanitarian coordinators emphasize immediate safe passage for civilians to escape active conflict zones. However, no sustained ceasefire has been achieved, and humanitarian convoys have not been able to reach El-Fasher by road for over a year.
The international community and human rights bodies continuously condemn attacks on civilians and call for adherence to international humanitarian law. Malnutrition rates among children in Sudan are critical, with alarming levels affecting minors throughout the country. UN statistics reveal that 38% of children under the age of five in internally displaced persons camps near El-Fasher are experiencing acute malnutrition.
Reports from local activists indicate that deaths related to starvation have begun occurring within the city. Sondos, an eight-year-old girl who fled El-Fasher, shares that her family subsisted on millet alone. The ongoing conflict, which started in April 2023, has devastated the region.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has indicated that road deliveries to El-Fasher have been unfeasible for over a year. Residents in El-Fasher are facing severe food shortages. The conflict in El-Fasher is described as one of the most severe humanitarian crises today. El-Fasher remains home to an estimated 300,000 individuals.
The UN is advocating for a week-long humanitarian ceasefire in the region. The WFP has reported multiple efforts to provide assistance, including trucks ready to deliver food. However, the RSF's response to the proposed truce has been less clear, leading to uncertainty. The Governor of North Darfur, Al-Hafiz Bakhit, has echoed the call for immediate aid.
The WFP is awaiting support from the RSF for a ceasefire to facilitate aid delivery. The head of the Sudanese armed forces has publicly agreed to a temporary truce. However, the attack on a UN convoy in June highlighted the region's instability. The ongoing crisis in El-Fasher underscores the urgent need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and unhindered access for humanitarian aid.
- Despite the critical humanitarian emergency in El-Fasher due to war and conflicts, personal growth and education-and-self-development opportunities have become virtually non-existent for hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in the city, disrupting general news and crime-and-justice narratives.
- In the midst of political instability and continuous violence, reports of personal tragedies such as accidents or deaths related to starvation underscore the need for immediate attention towards personal growth, education-and-self-development, and overall humanitarian aid in El-Fasher.
- As the United Nations advocates for a ceasefire to facilitate aid delivery, the ongoing crisis in El-Fasher highlights the interconnected nature of war and conflicts, politics, crime and justice, general news, and personal growth, emphasizing the importance of resolving the conflict to ensure peace, stability, and a chance at education-and-self-development for those affected.
