فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Khartoum – The besieged city of El-Fasher in western Sudan is facing a worsening humanitarian catastrophe as the death toll from famine continues to rise. A health ministry official announced that at least 63 people have died from malnutrition in just one week.
The official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, stated, “Sixty-three people have died of malnutrition since August 3 (…), most of them are children and women.” He clarified that this figure only includes those who managed to reach the hospital, implying the actual number could be significantly higher.
A Besieged City and an Unprecedented Crisis
El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, is the last regional capital in Darfur still under the control of the Sudanese army. However, it faces a suffocating siege that has lasted for over a year by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been at war with the army since April 2023. In April of this year, an attack on the Zamzam displaced persons camp on the outskirts of El-Fasher triggered a mass exodus of civilians towards the city, further straining its already limited resources.
Hunted by Hunger… Even Animal Feed Becomes Food
Humanitarian sources have described the situation in the city as “catastrophic in every sense of the word.” In the largest public kitchen (takia) in the city, food rations have drastically decreased; a single portion of traditional porridge, once shared among three people, is now divided among seven.
Nearly 1,700 people approach this kitchen every morning to receive their only meal, with no guarantee of it being filling. In the absence of alternatives, some families have been forced to consume animal feed or waste just to survive.
Children in Peril and Halted Aid
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), nearly 40% of children under the age of five in El-Fasher suffer from acute malnutrition, with 11% in a severe and life-threatening condition. Despite the severity of the situation, no official statements have been issued from within the city due to a lack of data, underscoring the extent of its isolation.
The United Nations had previously warned that famine would strike the city this year before May, a prediction that now appears to have tragically come true.
War Hinders Aid, Rains Aggravate the Crisis
In a country where fighting has blocked main axes and paralyzed logistics, delivering humanitarian aid has become a nearly impossible task. Aid convoys are at a standstill, and food supplies are on the verge of depletion. The crisis is further exacerbated by the rainy season, which peaks in August, making the already difficult roads impassable and hindering any relief efforts.
The Sudanese conflict is now in its third year, having claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced millions of residents, and caused what the United Nations calls the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” Today, El-Fasher stands as a stark symbol of this unfolding human tragedy, slowly playing out before the eyes of the world.
