Sign in Subscribe
Food supply

Sudan's El-Fasher Trapped in Hunger Crisis Amid Siege

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Sudan's 27-month civil war is exacerbating a severe hunger crisis in the capital of North Darfur, el-Fasher, where over 740,000 people are deteriorating from hunger, according to the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) imposed a siege on el-Fasher in April 2024, cutting off access to food and aid, with local journalist Mohamed Zakaria stating that food prices have surged and communal kitchens have shut down. The siege has trapped people who fled to el-Fasher to escape previous conflicts, including children, who make up about half of the population. The RSF's attempt to capture the city could partition Sudan, with RSF rule over Darfur and SAF control over the rest of the country.

Key Takeaways:

  • The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies reports that 740,000 people in el-Fasher are deteriorating from hunger.
  • The RSF imposed a siege on el-Fasher in April 2024, leading to a severe food shortage and price surge, with food costs being four times higher in el-Fasher than in the rest of the country.
  • Local journalist Mohamed Zakaria reports that the market often has no food, and communal kitchens have shut down due to the siege.
  • The population trapped in el-Fasher includes people who originally came to the city to escape the first Darfur war and fled to North Darfur to escape the RSF's attacks.
  • Children make up about half of the population trapped in el-Fasher, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
  • Aid agencies have been denied access to el-Fasher, and thousands of people have fled to Tawila, where a cholera outbreak threatens the lives of already malnourished children.
  • The siege has caused over 239 children in the first six months of the year to die from hunger, according to the Sudanese Doctors' Network.

Statistics:

  • 740,000 people in el-Fasher are deteriorating from hunger, according to the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies.
  • The population of el-Fasher trapped in the siege includes those who originally came to the city to escape the first Darfur war and those who fled to North Darfur to escape the RSF's attacks.
  • Children make up about half of the population trapped in el-Fasher, according to UNICEF.
  • Over 239 children died from hunger in the first six months of the year, according to the Sudanese Doctors' Network.
  • Thousands of people have fled to Tawila, where a cholera outbreak threatens the lives of already malnourished children.

Sources:

  • African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies
  • Integrated Food Security Phase Classification
  • Al Jazeera
  • United Nations
  • Relief groups
  • Mohamed Zakaria, local journalist
  • United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
  • Sudanese Doctors' Network
  • World Food Programme (WFP)
  • TikTok (verified by Al Jazeera's Sanad agency)
  • AFP
  • Emergency Lawyers

Read more